James Buchanan & The Onset of Reconstruction in the South

Thomas Balcerski, Ph.D. will conclude the Presidential Lecture Series for 2016 with his discussion on James Buchanan & The Onset of Reconstruction in the South. Although often overlooked, James Buchanan lived during the first three years of the federal reconstruction in the South. Firmly situated at Wheatland, his home near Lancaster, Buchanan wrote letters to fellow Democrats about the state of affairs in the postwar nation. The talk will assess Buchanan’s contribution to national politics in his final three years (1865-1868) and consider more broadly the rhetoric of the Democratic Party at the outset of Reconstruction. Old Buck, as it turns out, was ahead of the curve of the national mood.

Thomas Balcerski, Ph.D. is currently the Assistant Professor of History at Eastern Connecticut State University. He graduated from Cornell University in 2005 with undergraduate degrees in Economics and American Studies. Next, he attended Stony Brook University and competed a MA in History. He then earned a Ph.D. in History from Cornell University in 2014. His research and teaching interests include early American history, politics, and manhood.

The Presidential Lecture James Buchanan & The Onset of Reconstruction in the South will take place on Thursday, November 10, 2016 in Ryder Hall at LancasterHistory.org, 230 N President Avenue, Lancaster. A social gathering with refreshments will begin at 4pm, followed by the lecture from 4:30-5:30pm. This event is free and open to the public.