For myself, im reading this one mother of the groom. The next book im recommending is the israeli solution by Caroline Glick and also Lynne Cheneys book on the life of james madison. And again you cant go wrong with some Light Reading as well, so thats what im reading this summer. What are you reading this summer . Tell us whats on your Summer Reading list. Tweet us at the booktv, posted or Facebook Page or send us an email, booktv at cspan. Org. Booktv continues now with more nonfiction authors and books. Harvey kaye because president franklin d. Roosevelt a public acknowledgment on january 6 of 1941 of 4 freedoms, but all people should be entrusted with. Which included freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. The author argues a reminder of the four freedoms because todays political and social issues. This is about 45 minutes. First of all i want to thank National Archives staff are invited me to speak. Ive always had a special affection for washington, d. C. Ever since i was 10 and they came down with the boy scouts and walked the monuments and every time since, every time since i always come down in the city has changed since 1960. But i just cannot resist a walk from George Washington to world war ii to the lincoln, roosevelt, jefferson. So this is particularly thrilling to me to be speaking. This is the closest is above into the monuments. Therethere Something Else i wao tell you about my talk today. Which would only be fair. I wrote the fight the fight for the four freedoms not only as a historian. I also wrote it as a historical advocate. There are those who think we make too much of the greatest generation and its greatest leader. I think we make too little of them. In short, give you a sense of what this will be about, i think we are failing to remember what made fdr and the greatest generation truly great. And in failing to remember that we are not just failing them, we are failing ourselves. Its that argument, that story, that challenge which i now offer to you. We need to remember, we need to remember what conservatives have never wanted us to remember and what liberals have all too forgotten all too often forgotten but we need through what weve been trying hard to remember. Now especially after more than 30 years of subordinating the public good to corporate priorities and private greed, of subjecting ourselves to widening inequalities and intensifying in security. Of allowing our rights to be threatened and of denying our own democratic impulses and yearnings. We need to remember who we are. We need to remember that we are the children and grandchildren of the men and women who rescued the United States from economic destruction in the Great Depression, and defended its against fascism and imperialism in the second world war. We need to remember that we are the children and grandchildren of the men and women who not only saved the nation from economic ruin of political oblivion but also turned it into the strongest and most prosperous country on earth. Most of all we need to remember that we are the children and grandchildren of the men and women who accomplish all of that in the face of conservative reactionary and corporate opposition, and despite their own faults and failings, by harnessing the powers of democratic government and making america freer, more equal and more democratic than ever before. Now when all that they fought for is under siege, and we find itself confronting crises and forces that threaten the nation and all that it stands for, we need to remember that we are the children and grandchildren of the most aggressive generation in american history. We are the children of men and women who are ticketed, thought for, and endowed us with the promise of the four freedoms. On the afternoon of january 6, 1941, president ragland Eleanor Roosevelt went up to capitol hill to deliver his annual message to congress. Just weeks earlier he defeated republican Wendell Willkie at the polls and won reelection in unprecedented third term. But he now faced a bigger challenge. One even more daunting than those he confronted in his first and second term. Still stop by the Great Depression, the United States was also increasingly threatened by the axis of powers, nazi germany, fascist italy, interior japan. With were already raging east and west americans had yet to agree about how to respond to that threat. The president , however, did nott falter. In that are preceded to propose measures to address the emergency he also gave dramatic new meaning, i love residing these words in this building, he gave dramatic new meaning to all men are created equal. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We the people of the United States, a new birth of freedom and government of the people, by the people, for the people. Roosevelt knew about crises by the new as well what americans could accomplish, even in the darkest of times. Born in 1882. Wrote up privileged, the son of hudson river gentry, yet long before becoming president he had suffered serious defeats and setbacks. None more devastating than contracting polio in 1921 at the age of 39 that left him permanently unable to stand up or walk without assistance. However, supported by his wife eleanor and other common members and friends, he had risen above the paralysis to become the most dynamic political figure in the United States. Moreover, his experiences in the course of doing so had reaffirmed in deep and has already powerful faith and confidence in god, in himself, and in his fellow citizens, all of which come all of which had enabled him in the face of the worst economic and social catastrophe in the nations history to say, there is no question in my mind that it is time for the country to become fairly radical for a generation. To declare the only thing we have to fear is fear itself, to insist that democracy is not a static thing. It is an everlasting march. And to proudly proclaim this generation of americans has a rendezvous with destiny. Propelled by the popular energy that his words and actions solicited, he determinedly launched the initiatives of relief, recovery, reconstruction and reform known as the new deal. Together president and people severely tested each of the, made real mistakes, regrettable compromises and suffered serious defeats. And a sore disappointment. Nevertheless, challenging and pushing each other to their finest ideals and aspirations, fdr and his fellow citizens advanced them further than ive had expected or even imagined possible. Even as they confronted and dealt with harsh, concerted attacks and they not only rejected the sirens of authoritarianism, they restore the purpose of promise by michigan revolutionary changes in government and public life, and radically extended american freedom, equality and democracy. By way of a great host of alphabet soup, agencies and associations, from the cbc and wba to the cio, a nyc and naacp, they subjected big business and banking to public accounts and regulation. They empowered of the federal government to address the needs of working people and the poor and establish a Social Security system. The organized labor unions, consumer campaigns and civil rights organizations. They fought for the rights and they brought him the we in we the people. They build schools, libras, parks and playgrounds. Expand officials public infrastructure, they improved the american invited. They cultivate the arts and refashioned popular culture. Though there was still much to be done, the imputed themselves with fresh democratic convictions, hope and aspirations. Standing for the American People in their assembled representatives of that early january day in 1941, roosevelt should have laid their rendezvous with destiny had come. Speaking without hesitation he proceeded to expound upon the profound crisis, and moral dangers facing the mistakes and to explain how the nation could not just confront them but actually prevail in doing so. Rejecting isolationist arguments that america could simply hunkered down, he rallied his fellow citizens around a dynamic image of america serving as the great arsenal of democracy. Dismissing conservatives claims that the crisis required them, sir, the crisis are americans to give up their hardfought for advancadvanced roosevelt arguedt an effective mobilization required to sustain the democratic achievements, but also extend and deepen them again. Finally articulating americas grandest ideals and striving, the president defined a cause and a generation. In the future days which we seek to make secure, he said, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression. The second is freedom of every person to worship god in his own way. The third is freedom from want. The fourth is freedom from fear. Isolationist announced the president s call to turn the u. S. Into the arsenal democracy and conservatives rejected his expansive democratic vision. But most americans responded otherwise. Wanted men have been able to recite those freedoms exactly, they backed the call to action come from the promise pronounce and in the wake of japans december 7, make 41, attack on pearl harbor, they made freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, freedom from fear and nations or injury. 16 million americans of every faith, class and color put on uniforms and pursued a global struggle we would come to call the good war, not for the combat but for the ripeness of the cause and unity of purpose in which americans pursued. With allies they would storm beaches, slog through jungles, trip across fields, sail through submarine infested waters, fly missions over heavily fortified characters, punch, push and claw their way to victory. Contrary to many later historic assertions, americas soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen thought not just for the buddies but also as letters, reports and the morse a test, for the promise of the four freedoms and for democracy. In late 1944, harpers editor Frederick Lewis allen would write that america had become not just simply a United People would also one possessed of a faith which would a faith which with the aid of bulldozers was able to move mountains. And surely the greatest testament to that faith is that those who most suffered the nations injustices, americas racial and religious minorities, went all out as much as of their fellow citizens, if not even more so, determined to secure americas promise against both americas foreign enemies and its own racist and reactionari reactionaries, mexicanamericans, native americans and Jewish Americans served in greater numbers proportionally than almost any other group. And though the africanamerican numbers were limited by official quota, and young black men were assigned to segregated military units, 1 million of them served. Even 22500 japaneseamerican served, despite the fact that many of their own families were injured in camp. At the same time americas would help the also went full out as workers and volunteers to provide the arms and material required for total victory, to maintain the morale and well being, material well being of gis and civilians alike, and to protect and improve with the servicemen and were doing. Make tragic mistakes and suffer serious defeats. Nonetheless, they not only prevailed over their enemies they also it can compel each other to actually enhance American Democratic life in the process. Needless to say, all of this is laid out in my book, the fight for the four freedoms. I want you to hear the art, the narrative. Predictably, the right entrance of the rich and the to to oppose democratic initiative. Congressional republicans and seven democrats joined together, not on to limit the power of labor, but also to block or build over neighboring gis to vote. The republicans fear the most gis would vote for fdr. Seven democrats feared blacks would get to vote and actually like it. Concurrently, business executives, anxious about americaamerica s democratic impulse, but knowing they could not openly oppose the four freedoms, harness those freedoms to corporate ads and promotions. Even as they denied the promise and fervently try to rewrite them to include freedom of private enterprise. Of course, they had good reason to worry. Americans were vigorously expanding the labor concerned with and civil rights but they initiated so vigorously in the 30s. They were subjecting industry in the market place even Greater Public control. They were reducing inequality and poverty and those deadly rays rights broke out both north and south, americans were further transforming the we in we the people. Moreover, the ongoing majority of americans endorsed the idea of pursuing new progressive initiatives at wars end. In my book of the out all statistic if ive of americans want a social democratic america after the war. Not only democrats, not quite equally so but equally ran a majority of republican. On which to fcat the courage to propose not just the g. I. Bill of rights but also a second bill of rights. And economic bill of rights to ensure freedom from want and fear for all americans. Fdr passed away in april 1945. German and japan surrendered in the months that followed but the promise of the four freedoms did not expire. Even as the trinity can to take off in an unprecedented economic expansion, and are into into cold war struggle with the soviet union, most americans bolstered by the Public Investment of the new deal, the Public Investment of the war effort, and the Massive Public benefit of the g. I. Bill set out in pursuit of those four freedoms, of that promise. But not all of them. Not everyone wanted to enhance American Democratic life. Conservatives reaction is, i know sounds redundant, and a host of corporate bosses had their own ambitions for postwar america. Determined as ever to reverse the progressive accomplishments of the roosevelt years. Cancel out the promise of the four freedoms. Bury the idea of an economic bill of rights. Thethey set themselves a new to containing or suppressing if not extend wishing americans democratic aspirations and energy. And harnessing the cold war, not democratic government, harnessing the cold war mccarthyism, they enjoyed acceptance. By the early 1950s they obtained the liberals can marginalize radicals and stymie the campaign of labor and so bright movement. The commission effectively be faced fdrs four freedoms from public debate. And yet for all other efforts they could not get americans to forget their hardwon victory for the promise that encouraged to. In fact, as americans continue to make the nation ever stronger and more profitable, they pressed freedom, equality and democracy forward. Never as quickly as so many wanted. But always forward. The generation that beat the Great Depression by taking up the labors of the new deal and then defeated fascism by going all out, became a decidedly civic generation, as Robert Putnam has dubbed. They build nuclear to churches, schools and civic associations. They secured higher Living Standards for themselves and their families. Expander Social Security and even began up north at least to enact laws banning racial and religious discrimination. Not to mention the witness of the supreme courts historic decision in brown v. Board and racial segregation in Public Schools unconstitutional. When they research the challenge in the 1960s, to live up to the promise of so may of them and struggled to articulate and advance, they recommitted the nation to do so. The power of roosevelts four freedoms endured. Those who marched for civil rights, campaign to end poverty, organize Public Employee unions, push to enact health care for the elderly and poor demanded equal rights for women, reform the nations immigration law, expanded publication, Public Education and the arts. Pressed for greater regulation of business and industry to protect the violent, workers and consumers, and even protested the vietnam war, did not regularly recited those freedoms, but many do. Moreover, they were not only inspired and informed by the struggles and achievements of the president and people who first proclaimed and fought for those freedoms, they are also called to act a new by men and women of that generation. Labor leaders like a. Philip randolph, cesar chavez, civil rights activist such as ella baker, james farmer and even yes, Martin Luther king, jr. Was a College Student during the war and heard about the four freedoms from his father, from the president , of Morehouse College and a. Philip randolph began to lecture at the college. Those who made the victory thrill of victory then after those were her parents and from any of you perhaps grand parent. Here i cannot help but not a recent letter to the New York Times for world war ii veterans edward wood junior responded to restore emails all run across regarding the question of lbjs leg always controversial. She wrote for my generation of world war ii veterans, the social legislation passed under president clinton job leadership helped out some of the ideals we had fought for in the war, expressed in 1941 by president Franklin Roosevelts four freedoms. I cried from a longdelayed joy when johnson signed the civil rights that. Johnsons other legislation still resonates 50 years later. His initiatives help initiate the society for 1941 to 1945. Undeniably the age of roosevelt and the progressive pursuit of the freedoms can be made very long time ago. Even now, after so many years of conservative political ascendant then can her to class were from above, more than 30