Thank you for this excellent mini biography! Despite being "educated" in Lost Cause revisionism all my life, I've long admired Stevens. My fellow southerners can continue to cling desperately to their imaginations; I much prefer accuracy & truly inspiring heroes.
You are very welcomed. Like you, I was also raised in the South but could never accept the Lost Cause mythology and could clearly see Thad was one of the greatest Americans. If you'd like to join the Society, you can do so at this link: www.thaddeusstevenssociety.com/Membership.html
Thank goodness someone is finally recognizing the good of Thaddeus Stevens. In the old days, southern students heard plenty about Stevens, all of which was negative. But it does not take much in the way of understanding human nature to see how Stevens came to see the virtue of racial equality.
He's one of thousands that pushed America up from slavery towards equality. A great man, easily in that upper echelon of greats, but far from alone on that list.
Tommy Lee Jones played him very well. It was from Lincoln where I learnt about the man. Very fascinating man. Probably one of the greatest leaders of the time in the league of Abraham Lincoln and Frederic Douglass.
Thaddeus Stevens 230 birth anniversary will be celebrated April 1-3, 2022 in Lancaster and Gettysburg, including the dedication of a statue of him in the Gettysburg courthouse square April 2. Sponsored by the Thaddeus Stevens Society w workshops seminars and banquets on Friday and Saturday.
As with John Adams and John Q. Adams, Peter Salem and James Armistad, it is time that we discover the forgotten people who influenced our nation. so glad Steven Spielberg introduced T. Stevens in the Lincoln movie to many who were not aware of his great accomplishments.
His epitaph is one of the most moving I've read. He had himself buried in the only integrated cemetery in the area; his epitaph reads "I repose in this quiet and secluded spot Not from any natural preference for solitude But, finding the other cemeteries limited as to race by Charter Rules, I have chosen this that I might illustrate in my death The principles I advocated through a long life EQUALITY OF MAN BEFORE HIS CREATOR (emphasis in original) That was an astoundingly progressive sentiment for 1868; sadly, there are places in America today where it is still a progressive sentiment. I'm glad that a light is finally being shined on this American hero.
Thank you for the comment. If you'd like to join the Thaddeus Stevens Society, you can do so at this link: www.thaddeusstevenssociety.com/become-a-member-1
Father of the 14th and 15th Amendments. The portrayal in "Lincoln" was great. I am a member of the Thaddeus Stevens Society. They deserve your support.
Thaddeus in Lincoln is possibly my favorite character in any movie. That he is historically real and is pretty much exactly as depicted in Lincoln is an existential delight
Ms. Smith was perhaps not properly portrayed in the film. If she was Catholic, we must not forget this other minority that was discriminated against at that time.
@@johnschuh8616 while there was discrimination against Catholics, you could find Catholic churches in every major city in America. Tell me how many Protestant churches were in Mexico?
I wish I had learned more about America's African-American heroes in school, and I also wish African-Americans knew more about Americans of European origin (like Mr. Stevens) that, however flawed, have fought and continue to fight to improve the lives of those we kidnapped, enslaved and still abuse in our society. One day, when the worst of our society isn't repressing and killing them, I wish African Americans will sometimes celebrate the humanity and inclusiveness of decent and caring European-Americans. I have the deepest regard and empathy for African-Americans. I have marched with them, defended them publicly in confrontations with racists, shared love and kindness with them, and respect their cultures, both new and old. We owe them more than we can repay them, and they owe us little, not even forgiveness. However, a little love and encouragement to the better angels among us would be greatly appreciated. Meanwhile, you'll find me at Black-Lives-Matter protests, and signing-up first-time African-American voters.
+RoundenBrown Thank you for your kind remarks. If you'd like to be on our email list, please send me a an email at contact@thaddeusstevenssociety.com Ross Hetrick, Society president
I Like Your Statement "One of the great Republicans." Question? "What The Hell Happened? Your Neighbours In This World Of "OUR'S'" Would Like To Know. Oh Buy The Way Great Film, Much Respect.
Yeah, he's what I expected when I signed up. Old Orange Face doesn't really do it for me. I was actually quite happy that I was two weeks too young to vote this year.
A thought that occurred to me watching this film (which, I thought, excellent) is the dichotomy between a legislator and an executive. Stevens and Lincoln were perfect for the roles they played in this drama of American history. Each man was of consequence and of great value. One demanded a relationship with the other to pursue a common end. Am I wrong in thinking of each of these men representing the elements of a Yin and Yang philosophical relationship?
I paint portraits. The fact that Stevens had Her portrait painted could indicate that Stevens had a more serious relationship with her, but it could also just indicate that Stevens was a good friend of the artist. i and my artist friends paint a lot of portraits of people who are friends of friends. We do pay them, but not much, but most of them are happy to sit just for the experience of sitting.
The painting is a fraud. It was not "discovered" until 50 years after Stevens death and there is no signature on it or any indication it was Smith. There was no mention of it during Stevens's lifetime even though his enemies would have eager jumped on it.
@@MrThaddeusStevens I was always aware, since these stories started long before his death, that those that made the accusation were most often of the class that often had little mixed-race children running around their home that tended to look a lot like their father.
Thaddeus was truly awesome. It was wonderful to see him get some reasonably accurate portrayal in the Lincoln movie. Sadly the movie still fallaciously trashed Charles Sumner, to whom Thaddeus owed a great deal, as did Lincoln. In the movie, Sumner is brushed off by Mary Todd, but at the time, Sumner was actually a person Mary Todd admired tremendously, and the man Lincoln relied upon to keep Mary Todd out of mental hospitals by being one of Mary Todd's best friends. Sumner was perfectly fluent in French, having learned it the salons of Paris and the Sorbonne. Mary Todd knew a bit of French and loved to speak it with Sumner. Sumner had also shared an apartment in London with Mary Todd's favorite author, William Makepeace Thackerey. The idea that Mary Todd would have brushed him off the way most American historians do today is totally ridiculous. Our history describes Sumner as pedantic and boring, but that's hardly the case if you read him. Carlyle jealously referred to him as "Mr Popularity" as Sumner was able to live in Europe for three years without paying for any boarding by simply going from house to house as a wanted and distinguished guest of considerable reputation, and this long before he was in politics.
Lincoln was the reason blacks were freed. Stevens hated Lincoln and Lincoln's reconstruction policies. Steven's vindictive policies were a primary cause for the creation of the KKK and Jim Crow laws.
"Instead of commemorating such an important person as Thaddeus Stevens, over [the last] 150 years we've seen the proliferation of statues to the the racist traitors that were on the other side, which is kind of amazing. It isn't completely amazing because the neo-Confederates, the original Confederates were very determined during their time to push their position. ... I'm amazed that [commemorating the anniversary of Thaddeus Stevens' death] hasn't been done before like for the 50th anniversary and 100th anniversary. In fact I'm kind of amazed that we don't have a huge Thaddeus Stevens Society complex with with millions of dollars in our treasury that's such like that that they had to wait around until 1999 for me to get around to found the Thaddeus Stevens society." ua-cam.com/video/Kh3R5C68RXs/v-deo.html ---------
In his time, he was ridiculed, bullied. He came above that and was a great achiever later in life. Though not politically correct, it would be right to say he did more for the blacks than some of the great blacks could do for themselves. Time for people like Oprah Winfrey, Kanye west etc to conquer the margins that his man did. He actually said of someone, "you vile human, you insult the sight of God".
I have read a lot about Thaddeus Stevens, but have never come across a reference to Harriet Tubman. But I am sure he would have been a supporter since he defended fugitive slaves and participated in the Underground Railroad. Ross Hetrick, president of Thaddeus Stevens Society
From what I've heard of Harriet Tubman, the last place she would have wanted to be would have been Washington DC. She kept going back into Maryland to guide more and more of her people to freedom. She knew John Brown. She went to the Sea Islands of South Carolina during the war to support the newly freed ex-slaves. She was a scout and spy for the Union army.
Meaning no disrespect, Lydia Hamilton Smith was a very white quadroon and should be played by an actress who resembles her (whether the actress has a drop of "black blood" or not). It is disrespectful to her memory to take the position that anyone with some "black blood" can be portrayed by anyone else with "black blood" regardless of drastic differences in color and phenotype.
As a personal with maniac eyebrows I find it offensive that Thaddeus’s maniac eyebrows were not correctly represented by the male actor. It’s disrespectful. I bet he’s not the exact shade of white either. It’s almost like they’re both not real... like... just pretending, like... eh... acting or something....
I hope Lincoln restored him to the public consciousness
Thank you for this excellent mini biography! Despite being "educated" in Lost Cause revisionism all my life, I've long admired Stevens.
My fellow southerners can continue to cling desperately to their imaginations; I much prefer accuracy & truly inspiring heroes.
You are very welcomed. Like you, I was also raised in the South but could never accept the Lost Cause mythology and could clearly see Thad was one of the greatest Americans. If you'd like to join the Society, you can do so at this link: www.thaddeusstevenssociety.com/Membership.html
I grew up in Michigan and was taught in school that the Civil War was about "states' rights"
@@therealCamoron ...i.e., States' "right" to own slaves. That is fundamentally what it came down to, regardless of what Lost Cause adherents claim.
RR - You mean White Southerners.
Thank goodness someone is finally recognizing the good of Thaddeus Stevens. In the old days, southern students heard plenty about Stevens, all of which was negative. But it does not take much in the way of understanding human nature to see how Stevens came to see the virtue of racial equality.
Amen amen amen🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿
So sad that Thaddeus Stevens was forgotten
He's one of thousands that pushed America up from slavery towards equality. A great man, easily in that upper echelon of greats, but far from alone on that list.
Thanks for sharing! I’m a voracious reader. Thanks for sharing ❤❤
Tommy Lee Jones played him very well. It was from Lincoln where I learnt about the man. Very fascinating man. Probably one of the greatest leaders of the time in the league of Abraham Lincoln and Frederic Douglass.
Thaddeus Stevens 230 birth anniversary will be celebrated April 1-3, 2022 in Lancaster and Gettysburg, including the dedication of a statue of him in the Gettysburg courthouse square April 2. Sponsored by the Thaddeus Stevens Society w workshops seminars and banquets on Friday and Saturday.
As with John Adams and John Q. Adams, Peter Salem and James Armistad, it is time that we discover the forgotten people who influenced our nation. so glad Steven Spielberg introduced T. Stevens in the Lincoln movie to many who were not aware of his great accomplishments.
Charles Grandison Finney is another outstanding figure of the abolition movement who has been forgotten.
I knew of Thaddeus Stevens from elementary school as it was named after him. Great man that should be remembered.
His epitaph is one of the most moving I've read. He had himself buried in the only integrated cemetery in the area; his epitaph reads
"I repose in this quiet and secluded spot
Not from any natural preference for solitude
But, finding the other cemeteries limited as to race
by Charter Rules,
I have chosen this that I might illustrate in my death
The principles I advocated through a long life
EQUALITY OF MAN BEFORE HIS CREATOR
(emphasis in original)
That was an astoundingly progressive sentiment for 1868; sadly, there are places in America today where it is still a progressive sentiment. I'm glad that a light is finally being shined on this American hero.
Thank you for the comment. If you'd like to join the Thaddeus Stevens Society, you can do so at this link: www.thaddeusstevenssociety.com/become-a-member-1
Father of the 14th and 15th Amendments. The portrayal in "Lincoln" was great. I am a member of the Thaddeus Stevens Society. They deserve your support.
Thaddeus in Lincoln is possibly my favorite character in any movie. That he is historically real and is pretty much exactly as depicted in Lincoln is an existential delight
Next time I visit Wheatland I may have to stop by and pay my respects ...
Ms. Smith was perhaps not properly portrayed in the film. If she was Catholic, we must not forget this other minority that was discriminated against at that time.
@@johnschuh8616 while there was discrimination against Catholics, you could find Catholic churches in every major city in America. Tell me how many Protestant churches were in Mexico?
What a great man!
Yessssss
I wish I had learned more about America's African-American heroes in school, and I also wish African-Americans knew more about Americans of European origin (like Mr. Stevens) that, however flawed, have fought and continue to fight to improve the lives of those we kidnapped, enslaved and still abuse in our society. One day, when the worst of our society isn't repressing and killing them, I wish African Americans will sometimes celebrate the humanity and inclusiveness of decent and caring European-Americans. I have the deepest regard and empathy for African-Americans. I have marched with them, defended them publicly in confrontations with racists, shared love and kindness with them, and respect their cultures, both new and old. We owe them more than we can repay them, and they owe us little, not even forgiveness. However, a little love and encouragement to the better angels among us would be greatly appreciated. Meanwhile, you'll find me at Black-Lives-Matter protests, and signing-up first-time African-American voters.
Thank you for your comment.
One of the great Republicans.
+RoundenBrown Thank you for your kind remarks. If you'd like to be on our email list, please send me a an email at contact@thaddeusstevenssociety.com Ross Hetrick, Society president
I Like Your Statement "One of the great Republicans." Question? "What The Hell Happened? Your Neighbours In This World Of "OUR'S'" Would Like To Know. Oh Buy The Way Great Film, Much Respect.
Yeah, he's what I expected when I signed up. Old Orange Face doesn't really do it for me. I was actually quite happy that I was two weeks too young to vote this year.
I lend my voice as yet another Republican with much praise for Thaddeus Stevens and little for Trump.
A thought that occurred to me watching this film (which, I thought, excellent) is the dichotomy between a legislator and an executive. Stevens and Lincoln were perfect for the roles they played in this drama of American history.
Each man was of consequence and of great value. One demanded a relationship with the other to pursue a common end. Am I wrong in thinking of each of these men representing the elements of a Yin and Yang philosophical relationship?
I paint portraits. The fact that Stevens had Her portrait painted could indicate that Stevens had a more serious relationship with her, but it could also just indicate that Stevens was a good friend of the artist. i and my artist friends paint a lot of portraits of people who are friends of friends. We do pay them, but not much, but most of them are happy to sit just for the experience of sitting.
The painting is a fraud. It was not "discovered" until 50 years after Stevens death and there is no signature on it or any indication it was Smith. There was no mention of it during Stevens's lifetime even though his enemies would have eager jumped on it.
@@MrThaddeusStevens I was always aware, since these stories started long before his death, that those that made the accusation were most often of the class that often had little mixed-race children running around their home that tended to look a lot like their father.
Thaddeus was truly awesome. It was wonderful to see him get some reasonably accurate portrayal in the Lincoln movie. Sadly the movie still fallaciously trashed Charles Sumner, to whom Thaddeus owed a great deal, as did Lincoln. In the movie, Sumner is brushed off by Mary Todd, but at the time, Sumner was actually a person Mary Todd admired tremendously, and the man Lincoln relied upon to keep Mary Todd out of mental hospitals by being one of Mary Todd's best friends. Sumner was perfectly fluent in French, having learned it the salons of Paris and the Sorbonne. Mary Todd knew a bit of French and loved to speak it with Sumner. Sumner had also shared an apartment in London with Mary Todd's favorite author, William Makepeace Thackerey. The idea that Mary Todd would have brushed him off the way most American historians do today is totally ridiculous. Our history describes Sumner as pedantic and boring, but that's hardly the case if you read him. Carlyle jealously referred to him as "Mr Popularity" as Sumner was able to live in Europe for three years without paying for any boarding by simply going from house to house as a wanted and distinguished guest of considerable reputation, and this long before he was in politics.
Can’t believe some Black people didn’t know him. He is the reason they are free men today.
You don't know if it's not taught!! Thank s to the Most High we are learning now!
Lincoln was the reason blacks were freed. Stevens hated Lincoln and Lincoln's reconstruction policies. Steven's vindictive policies were a primary cause for the creation of the KKK and Jim Crow laws.
I have been am ardent student of history especially the usvcivil war. I had to study a large bit to learn about men like Stevens.
"Instead of commemorating such an important person as Thaddeus Stevens, over [the last] 150 years we've seen the proliferation of statues to the the racist traitors that were on the other side, which is kind of amazing. It isn't completely amazing because the neo-Confederates, the original Confederates were very determined during their time to push their position. ... I'm amazed that [commemorating the anniversary of Thaddeus Stevens' death] hasn't been done before like for the 50th anniversary and 100th anniversary. In fact I'm kind of amazed that we don't have a huge Thaddeus Stevens Society complex with with millions of dollars in our treasury that's such like that that they had to wait around until 1999 for me to get around to found the Thaddeus Stevens society." ua-cam.com/video/Kh3R5C68RXs/v-deo.html
---------
Thanks for such a nice quote.
In his time, he was ridiculed, bullied. He came above that and was a great achiever later in life. Though not politically correct, it would be right to say he did more for the blacks than some of the great blacks could do for themselves. Time for people like Oprah Winfrey, Kanye west etc to conquer the margins that his man did. He actually said of someone, "you vile human, you insult the sight of God".
we share the same birthday 🙂
Good Lord...where did these people go to school? ....
Ah ... Fairfax county...
I gotta wonder, what were his thoughts on Harriet Tubman? Did they ever meet? Did they ever have anything to say about one another?
I have read a lot about Thaddeus Stevens, but have never come across a reference to Harriet Tubman. But I am sure he would have been a supporter since he defended fugitive slaves and participated in the Underground Railroad. Ross Hetrick, president of Thaddeus Stevens Society
From what I've heard of Harriet Tubman, the last place she would have wanted to be would have been Washington DC. She kept going back into Maryland to guide more and more of her people to freedom. She knew John Brown. She went to the Sea Islands of South Carolina during the war to support the newly freed ex-slaves. She was a scout and spy for the Union army.
Just as Winston Churchill said ...
Meaning no disrespect, Lydia Hamilton Smith was a very white quadroon and should be played by an actress who resembles her (whether the actress has a drop of "black blood" or not). It is disrespectful to her memory to take the position that anyone with some "black blood" can be portrayed by anyone else with "black blood" regardless of drastic differences in color and phenotype.
As a personal with maniac eyebrows I find it offensive that Thaddeus’s maniac eyebrows were not correctly represented by the male actor. It’s disrespectful. I bet he’s not the exact shade of white either. It’s almost like they’re both not real... like... just pretending, like... eh... acting or something....
I was shocked to learn the real Davy Crockett and Fess Parker did not look alike.
Sad.....