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Pulitzer-winning author to speak
By Andrew Amelinckx
Andrew Jackson, popularly imagined as an old soldier who was elected to the White House by a mob, could be considered “a kind of forgotten father of his country,” according to Jon Meacham, who re-evaluates the legacy of the seventh president of the United States in his latest book.
Meacham, the editor of Newsweek, will be speaking about his Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Jackson, titled “American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House” Thursday at Lindenwald.
Lindenwald was the residence of Jackson’s secretary of state and vice-president—and the nation’s eighth president—Martin Van Buren.
Jackson fought his way, both literally and figuratively, from relative poverty to fame and glory with his victory over the British in New Orleans in 1815. His reputation as a soldier helped propel him to the White House where he served two terms, beginning in 1829.
Jackson’s presidency, said Meacham, isn’t as easily summed up as other American leaders.
He said that other presidents might easily be summed up in one sentence, for example Lincoln “saved the union” while Franklin D. Roosevelt saw the country through the Great Depression and World War II.
Without a defining war, as in Jackson’s case, said Meacham, it is sometimes hard for historians to properly ascertain a president’s place in history.
“It’s a failing of history,” he said.
The idea of Jackson being uneducated and his followers a mob, mainly stems, said Meacham, from the incident surrounding Jackson’s inauguration in 1829 in which a drunken mob overran the White House, trashing furniture and ruining the carpets.
The story that emerges from Meacham’s book is that of a man who believed in the rule of the people and considered himself their voice. While in office he helped secure a more powerful role for the presidency.
“The popular image of Jackson is rather...overdrawn and simple,” said Meacham.
He hopes this book can put the myth to bed and present Jackson as very human, very flawed, but ultimately a “triumphant president.”
During Jackson’s tenure as president he took on the Bank of the United States, ultimately destroying it and quashed the stirrings of rebellion in South Carolina.
The bank was the keeper of federal deposits and had private shareholders who profited from the institution. It lent liberally to lawmakers who could be useful to it, according to Meacham. And Jackson had no control over it.
Meacham said that, in his opinion, Jackson was warranted in his fight against the bank because of it’s potential as a bastion of self-serving privilege.
While politically it was important, said the author, the immediate results were financially disastrous for the country.
In late 1832 and early 1833 many in South Carolina considered Civil War to ensure the state’s right to nullify federal laws. Jackson took them on and they eventually backed down.
Meacham was intrigued with this powerful figure whose presidency hadn’t been fully explored. He said Jackson seemed to be “hiding in plain sight.”
When asked how he first became interested in Jackson, Meacham answered that it was due to his place of birth.
“I grew up in Tennessee, so it’s a rule (to be interested in Jackson),” he wryly answered.
Jackson was born on the border between North and South Carolina in 1767 and later moved to Tennessee where he served as a U.S. Congressman and Senator.
According to Meacham, while Jackson’s presidency may be remote in time, the problems remain the same today as they did then, from issues with banking to “South Carolinians yelling at presidents,” alluding to the incident in which Rep. Addison “Joe” Graves Wilson (R-SC), yelled out “you lie” when President Barack Obama was giving a speech to a joint session of Congress last week.
“There’s nothing new under the sun,” said Meacham.
Meacham feels that President Barack Obama has already learned a valuable lesson from Jackson—the power of constant communication with his supporters. He compared Jackson's starting his own newspaper to Obama’s e-mail list and his putting his radio addresses on Youtube.
Meacham said that while researching the book he was surprised by Jackson’s skills in political maneuvering
“I was surprised how good a politician he was,” said Meacham, calling Jackson a “shrewd manipulator of men.”
But Meacham admits there is a darker side to Jackson’s legacy.
Jackson was a slave owner who actively worked against abolitionist efforts and advocated the removal of Native Americans from their lands.
According to Meacham, we should take a dim view of Jackson’s stance on slavery and on the treatment of Native Americans.
“There is no excusing, but there is explaining,” he said.
Jackson wasn’t outside the era’s way of thinking on either subject, but was, said Meacham, on the more extreme end of it.
He feels it should be understood as a national issue rather than just a Jacksonian one.
“We need to learn from this as opposed to simply damning him and moving on,” said the author.
Meacham’s lecture is part of the Columbia County Historical Society’s Distinguished Author Series and is also being presented by the Friends of Lindenwald and is sponsored by the New York Council on the Humanities.
Meacham said he wasn’t sure what he would be working on next, but did say he was interested in writing a book on the senior George Bush and has spoken with the former president concerning interviews for it.
Until then, he said, he would continue to “put the magazine out every week” and “wait for the Holy Spirit to descend.”
n The lecture and ‘Meet the Author’ reception and book signing will be held on the grounds of Lindenwald, the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site on Route 9H in Kinderhook. The lecture begins at 6 p.m., with the reception to follow at 7 p.m. Prepaid reservations are required. The lecture is $10, while the lecture and reception are $50. Please contact CCHS for reservations at 518-758-9265 or cchs@cchsny.org.
High school students are invited to come to the lecture for free.
Books can be purchased ahead of time at Blackwood and Brower at 7 Hudson St., in Kinderhook for the signing.
***
To reach reporter Andrew Amelinckx call 518- 828-1616, ext. 2267 or e-mail aamelinckx@registerstar.com To comment directly on this story, go to www.registerstar.com.
Meacham, the editor of Newsweek, will be speaking about his Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Jackson, titled “American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House” Thursday at Lindenwald.
Lindenwald was the residence of Jackson’s secretary of state and vice-president—and the nation’s eighth president—Martin Van Buren.
Jackson fought his way, both literally and figuratively, from relative poverty to fame and glory with his victory over the British in New Orleans in 1815. His reputation as a soldier helped propel him to the White House where he served two terms, beginning in 1829.
Jackson’s presidency, said Meacham, isn’t as easily summed up as other American leaders.
He said that other presidents might easily be summed up in one sentence, for example Lincoln “saved the union” while Franklin D. Roosevelt saw the country through the Great Depression and World War II.
Without a defining war, as in Jackson’s case, said Meacham, it is sometimes hard for historians to properly ascertain a president’s place in history.
“It’s a failing of history,” he said.
The idea of Jackson being uneducated and his followers a mob, mainly stems, said Meacham, from the incident surrounding Jackson’s inauguration in 1829 in which a drunken mob overran the White House, trashing furniture and ruining the carpets.
The story that emerges from Meacham’s book is that of a man who believed in the rule of the people and considered himself their voice. While in office he helped secure a more powerful role for the presidency.
“The popular image of Jackson is rather...overdrawn and simple,” said Meacham.
He hopes this book can put the myth to bed and present Jackson as very human, very flawed, but ultimately a “triumphant president.”
During Jackson’s tenure as president he took on the Bank of the United States, ultimately destroying it and quashed the stirrings of rebellion in South Carolina.
The bank was the keeper of federal deposits and had private shareholders who profited from the institution. It lent liberally to lawmakers who could be useful to it, according to Meacham. And Jackson had no control over it.
Meacham said that, in his opinion, Jackson was warranted in his fight against the bank because of it’s potential as a bastion of self-serving privilege.
While politically it was important, said the author, the immediate results were financially disastrous for the country.
In late 1832 and early 1833 many in South Carolina considered Civil War to ensure the state’s right to nullify federal laws. Jackson took them on and they eventually backed down.
Meacham was intrigued with this powerful figure whose presidency hadn’t been fully explored. He said Jackson seemed to be “hiding in plain sight.”
When asked how he first became interested in Jackson, Meacham answered that it was due to his place of birth.
“I grew up in Tennessee, so it’s a rule (to be interested in Jackson),” he wryly answered.
Jackson was born on the border between North and South Carolina in 1767 and later moved to Tennessee where he served as a U.S. Congressman and Senator.
According to Meacham, while Jackson’s presidency may be remote in time, the problems remain the same today as they did then, from issues with banking to “South Carolinians yelling at presidents,” alluding to the incident in which Rep. Addison “Joe” Graves Wilson (R-SC), yelled out “you lie” when President Barack Obama was giving a speech to a joint session of Congress last week.
“There’s nothing new under the sun,” said Meacham.
Meacham feels that President Barack Obama has already learned a valuable lesson from Jackson—the power of constant communication with his supporters. He compared Jackson's starting his own newspaper to Obama’s e-mail list and his putting his radio addresses on Youtube.
Meacham said that while researching the book he was surprised by Jackson’s skills in political maneuvering
“I was surprised how good a politician he was,” said Meacham, calling Jackson a “shrewd manipulator of men.”
But Meacham admits there is a darker side to Jackson’s legacy.
Jackson was a slave owner who actively worked against abolitionist efforts and advocated the removal of Native Americans from their lands.
According to Meacham, we should take a dim view of Jackson’s stance on slavery and on the treatment of Native Americans.
“There is no excusing, but there is explaining,” he said.
Jackson wasn’t outside the era’s way of thinking on either subject, but was, said Meacham, on the more extreme end of it.
He feels it should be understood as a national issue rather than just a Jacksonian one.
“We need to learn from this as opposed to simply damning him and moving on,” said the author.
Meacham’s lecture is part of the Columbia County Historical Society’s Distinguished Author Series and is also being presented by the Friends of Lindenwald and is sponsored by the New York Council on the Humanities.
Meacham said he wasn’t sure what he would be working on next, but did say he was interested in writing a book on the senior George Bush and has spoken with the former president concerning interviews for it.
Until then, he said, he would continue to “put the magazine out every week” and “wait for the Holy Spirit to descend.”
n The lecture and ‘Meet the Author’ reception and book signing will be held on the grounds of Lindenwald, the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site on Route 9H in Kinderhook. The lecture begins at 6 p.m., with the reception to follow at 7 p.m. Prepaid reservations are required. The lecture is $10, while the lecture and reception are $50. Please contact CCHS for reservations at 518-758-9265 or cchs@cchsny.org.
High school students are invited to come to the lecture for free.
Books can be purchased ahead of time at Blackwood and Brower at 7 Hudson St., in Kinderhook for the signing.
***
To reach reporter Andrew Amelinckx call 518- 828-1616, ext. 2267 or e-mail aamelinckx@registerstar.com To comment directly on this story, go to www.registerstar.com.
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