Document Type
Proposal
Publication Date
10-18-1995
Department
Fine & Applied Arts
Abstract
The sabbatical will be built around analysis and study of the speeches and great speakers of the mid-1800's in the United States, among them Lincoln, Davis, Lee, Grant, and Frederick Douglas. Theirs was an era of great speeches and volatile public opinion. I believe their words and presentations were as much responsible for the definition of America as those of Washington or Jefferson. Even the average soldier displayed language skills of surprising quality. These speeches, poems and correspondences effectively "sold" the American Civil War to the nation. They inspire my curiosity as to how and why they were so effective in motivating others. What were their argumentation styles; their cultural and philosophical roots? What events surrounded their speech making? How did speakers maximize their credibility? Can we apply today the techniques that made this period a bench mark in American public address? The speeches will be studied, re-created for students and others, and discussed with audiences interested in these topics.
Rights
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Brown, Stephen E., "Sabbatical Leave Proposal" (1995). Sabbaticals. 22.
https://spark.parkland.edu/sabbaticals/22
