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White House Historical Association

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0:03FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, AUDIENCE_NETWORK

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Join us in learning more about White House History right from your own home. Our Facebook Live series, White House History Live, delves into the stories that make up the history of the Executive Mansion. In this episode, author Zaakir Tameez will be speaking about his new biography, Charles Sumner: Conscience of a Nation. Tameez explores the life and times of Senator Charles Sumner, who is perhaps most remembered as the victim of a brutal caning that took place on the Senate floor in 1856. Instead, Tameez argues that Sumner should be remembered as a critical champion of equal rights and multiracial democracy, as well as his extraordinary efforts to end slavery and advance civil rights during Reconstruction. This event was be live streamed on the White House Historical Association's Facebook and YouTube pages on August 12.

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White House Historical Association

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Transcript

17:12Good evening.

17:20And welcome to White House History Live.

17:25My name is Dr. Matthew Costello.

17:36I serve as Chief Education Officer and I hold the Gerard B. Lambert Foundation Chair in White House History and serve as Director of the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History.

18:01Before we begin this evening's program, I would like to briefly share more about us and our work.

18:18The White House Historical Association is a non-profit, non-partisan organization with a mission to educate Americans about the history of the Executive Mansion, as well as the people who worked and lived there.

18:53The Association was founded in 1961 at the request of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and has worked with every administration since to preserve and protect the White House Collection and the history within its walls.

19:10We cannot carry out our mission without the generous support of our donors, members, followers, and viewers.

19:31On behalf of everyone at the White House Historical Association, thank you.

19:46Tonight's guest speaker is Zaakir Tameez, who will share insight to his new book, Charles Sumner Conscience of a Nation.

20:11A scholar of anti-trust and constitutional law and a graduate of Yale Law School and the University of Virginia, Zaakir has published award-winning scholarship and co-authored briefs before the Texas and United States Supreme Courts.

21:09He is a Fulbright Scholar and Humanity and Action Senior Fellow from Houston, Texas.

21:29Welcome, Zaakir to White House History Live.

21:46Thank you, Matthew.

21:56Thank you to the White House Historical Association.

22:04I'm very honored and pleased to be here and thank you to everyone who's listening.

22:21Fantastic.

22:27Now, before we jump in tonight, just a reminder to everyone who's watching out there.

22:53If you have any questions, please type them in the comment section in the live feed and we will try to answer as many questions as we can once we finish our discussion.

23:19So, with that, we are going to move into our our slide deck and Zaakir, you could tell us a little bit more about uh Charles Sumner, uh what drew you to him, and what made you want to write a biography about him.

23:48I just finished law school at Yale University.

24:10And during law school, I read the brief that Thurgood Marshall and the NACP filed in Brown versus Board of Education.

24:53One of the most famous Supreme Court cases of all time, leading to the integration of American Public schools.

25:42And as I am reading this brief from 1954, I stumble on the name of Charles Sumner.

Text on Screen

0:00White House History Live

1:56THE WHITE HOUSE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

2:06White House History Live

2:21Dr. Matthew Costello

4:58Dr. Matthew Costello

4:58Zaakir

5:56WHHL - Conscience of a Nation

5:56Page 1 of 9

5:56CHARLES SUMNER CONSCIENCE OF A NATION ZAAKIR TAMEEZ

Scenes (4)

0:00intro montage title

The scene opens with a black screen that quickly transitions into a dynamic collage of historical black and white photographs related to the White House. These images appear and disappear in a grid-like fashion, showcasing various figures, events, and interior/exterior shots of the White House. The central element is a full-color, static wide shot of the White House from the South Lawn, with lush green grass in the foreground and a clear blue sky with white clouds above. Overlayed on this central image, in a clean, white sans-serif font, are the words "White House History Live". The overall aesthetic is one of historical significance and authority, transitioning from past to present, underscored by a classical-sounding orchestral score. The dominant colors are muted grays and sepia tones from the historical photos, contrasted with the vibrant greens and blues of the central White House image. The camera remains static on the overall collage, though the internal images within the collage are dynamic.

1:56talking head intro

The scene shows a medium close-up of a male speaker, Dr. Matthew Costello, looking directly into the camera. He is framed from the chest up, against a light gray wall that forms part of an attic-like space, indicated by a sloping ceiling in the upper right. Behind him to his left is a wooden bookshelf filled with books, a framed black and white bust or drawing, and a small white sculpture. To his right, a dark wooden cabinet holds a small green plant and a picture frame. The lighting is soft and even, suggesting a well-lit indoor environment, with natural light potentially coming from an unseen window. Dr. Costello is speaking, articulating clearly with a calm and confident expression. He is wearing a dark suit jacket, a white collared shirt, and a striped tie with yellow, black, and white diagonals. A small white text overlay at the bottom left reads "Dr. Matthew Costello". The overall tone is professional and informative.

2:21split screen interview setup

The screen is divided vertically into two equal halves. On the right side, Dr. Matthew Costello from the previous scene is visible, framed from the chest up. He is wearing the same dark suit and striped tie, speaking directly to the camera with a welcoming expression. His background remains the light gray wall with a bookshelf and plant. On the left side, another male speaker, Zaakir, is visible, also framed from the chest up, looking slightly towards the right, engaging with Dr. Costello. He has dark hair and wears black-rimmed glasses and a light blue short-sleeved button-up shirt with a pattern of small sailboats. Behind him is a tall, light wooden bookshelf packed with various books. Both individuals are well-lit, with soft, even lighting. Text overlays at the bottom of each respective frame display their names: "Dr. Matthew Costello" on the right and "Zaakir" on the left. The scene maintains a professional and engaging atmosphere for a virtual discussion.

3:25shared screen presentation

The screen is primarily occupied by a shared presentation from a computer, showing a document titled "WHHL - Conscience of a Nation" (Page 1 of 9). This presentation screen is framed within a light gray border, mimicking a digital display. The left side of the presentation shows a photograph of Zaakir, the guest speaker, smiling and holding two copies of his book, "Charles Sumner: Conscience of a Nation". He is seated in what appears to be a lecture hall or library, with a microphone visible in front of him. The right side of the presentation displays the book cover itself, featuring a classical portrait of Charles Sumner with the title "CHARLES SUMNER CONSCIENCE OF A NATION" and the author's name "ZAAKIR TAMEEZ". Below this main shared screen, Dr. Matthew Costello and Zaakir are still visible in smaller, individual video frames, stacked vertically on the right side of the screen. Dr. Costello is at the bottom, Zaakir above him. They continue to engage in conversation, though their primary focus is now on the shared content. The overall setup is for a virtual book discussion or presentation.

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