Shelby Foote - 1999 Graduation Speech - Part 2 - Civil War

Part 2 of Foote's words on life and the Civil War during a graduation speech in 1999.

[@Chevy120]

This world is a sadder place without the likes of Shelby Foote. He is truly missed.

[@robf8023]

My god I couldn’t agree more. I wish more of his mind was wondering around right now..

[@Dutchy-1168]

Indeed !!! 🇨🇦🇺🇸

[@us-Bahn]

Astounding how well Mr Foote knew his subject. And how interesting his own particular turn of phrase could make it.

[@victorcross5949]

His ability to speak extemporaneously, with such clarity and without hesitation, is remarkable, especially for his age.

[@doreekaplan2589]

Hmmmm.....sounds as if you dont spend much time around older people....For instance, my Dad lived to 96 with every part of him intact, sounding as always.....

[@CCD-dreamcore]

“Extemporaneously” 😂

[@robf8023]

@@doreekaplan2589 pretty sure a person who spends A LOT of time with old people would think that.

[@tier1solutions28]

​@@CCD-dreamcore sorry you're unlettered

[@bonnieteeter6248]

The Civil War ( 3 magnificent pieces of work, Stars in Their Courses and Love in a Dry Season). Literary Genius. Mr. Foote, a scholar and a gentleman,

[@brettkramer]

Thanks for sharing this great video of Shelby Foote. Our country really lost someone special when he passed away.

[@Bayoudigger1977]

Indeed

[@zman4539]

Shelby was a true Southern Gentleman who's left us with the definitive story of our terrible civil war. It took him 30 years to meticulously research and publish his 3 volume masterpiece. His wit and wisdom were borne from being a member of the Greatest Generation! His easy manor and wicked sense of humor are mesmerizing. We are fortunate to have many interviews of him explaining the details of the war and his life that are available throughout the years. Thank you for posting this as it is one of his best public appearances!

[@MarkRaymondLuce]

Not thirty years, twenty years, from 1954 to 1974, and he worked on nothing else but those three volumes of the Civil War. And what's even more spectacular, is that he wrote everything on normal wtiting pad paper with pen and ink - a fountain pen; he would spend his mornings writing with pen and ink, and then after lunch he would type everything out, and what came off the typewriter is exactly what you see in each of his three books, his editor did not do any edits, Shelby would not allow it, and Shelby never made any edits, he self-admittedly was a slow writer and he wrote exactly what he wanted without any footnotes and every word and detail of he wrote came from what he had stored in his brain after reading I think he stated something like forty different books about the history of the Civil before he began to write the first sentence of the first volume, and he had all of them memorized, that is why when you read those three Civil War volumes of his it is like you are right there because he brings you there.

[@zman4539]

@@MarkRaymondLuce Thank you for the correction as it was 20 years in the making not 30. His approach as an author / historian was incredible-old school perfectionist. The stories Shelby tells in his interviews were as amazing to hear as his 3 volume set was to read. Ken Burns said every time Shelby started a story just in casual conversation he had to stop him and set up a camera as he knew they were always important to capture and helped him with his Civil War education in making his Documentary. Somewhere on KZbin are all of those interviews, many of them did not make into the series due to time. The other recommended interview with Shelby is a CSPAN 2 hour retrospect of his life. Well worth the time for those who have not seen it.

[@samoramachel55]

I feel blessed that I was born at a time when Shelby Foote was here, to have had the pleasure of reading his books and meeting him will always be something I'll cherish for the remainder of my days.

[@johnprendergast1338]

The true, honest and wise Historian of our time....Fascinating person to listen to ....

[@noapologizes2018]

t was fascinating. . . . I have read "Shiloh" and I am starting "Stars and Their Courses" . I also have the three volume set of his Civil War Series. Those that live in the time of great people scarcely thinks about it. But there is quality of being witness to those great people. And Shelby Foote was our contemporary literary icon He was our Mark Twain.

[@CrossTimbersSon]

Thank you for sharing these speeches. Shelby Foote’s wisdom is needed especially today.

[@williammassey911]

Thank You. My favorite historian. Damn fine writer.

[@blakelester1776]

Listening him talk about Lincoln is just amazing.

[@Bayoudigger1977]

America is greater because of Foote. If only other Americans had a fraction of his insight.

[@blakelester1776]

@@Bayoudigger1977 He gets thrown into the lost cause crowd in an attempt to discredit his work. Any person that hasn’t read his work has no room to judge and are judging him on the fact he is a southern writer, and interview excerpts that are completely taken out of context.

[@molipaul]

Thank you for this priceless two-part video of one of our finest authors...southern or otherwise.

[@hammer44head]

Absolutely enjoying this video, thanks so much for sharing it, Joe. Props.

[@Nastyfinger1444]

I love listening to this wonderful historian.

[@horacefrancou9802]

I would like to see and listen more of Shelby Foote in this age.

[@suzieseay3453]

Just found your channel love it hope you add more. Yes it's a lonely place without Shelby

[@steveshoemaker6347]

Thanks again.....Joe....You are my fine friend now......!

[@mencken8]

It’s characteristic of the sorry times we live in as the third decade of the 21st century opens that Mr. Foote would probably be besieged by an angry mob if he were engaged to give this speech now.

[@StBindo]

It fascinates me to see how much admiration he had for Lincoln despite his obvious bias towards the south. I love to hear Mr. Foote speak. Thank you for posting!

[@johnschuh8616]

Or for FDR. Another slippery politician.

[@frankapplegate1364]

He didn’t have an obvious bias toward the south. He revealed the truth about the entire situation. When asked if he had been of that age would he have fought for the south he responded yes because that was his home. He once stated that a favorite compliment given to him by a young lady college student, was that after reading his writings she did not discover a bias toward north or south in his works.

[@StBindo]

@@frankapplegate1364 True, but immediately after saying that (about the young reader, which was in his 3 hour interview with Brian Lamb) he admitted that readers would probably find that his "blood was up" a bit more when he was narrating some of the confederate perspectives during battles. I agree the narrative itself wasn't "obviously biased" in the sense that it tried to make the South seem better than it was. He maintained a good balance, and is definitely one of my favorite writers on the War. But he wasn't shy about feeling more kinship toward the south, and I find it fascinating that he could admit that and still respect Lincoln so highly. It's a rare trait among historians who admit such sympathies, I find.

[@fazbell]

Foote has the most beautiful southern accent.

[@melodymakermark]

That accent is disappearing. I can still go to certain parts of “old money” Memphis like the East Parkway area in which he lived, and hear it, but the homogenization of accents will win out.

[@warringtonfaust1088]

@@melodymakermark Yes, I have noticed the accents of my contemporaneous relatives in the South, their children have succumbed to television English.

[@johnschuh8616]

So does Morgan Freedman. It’s the melody.

[@joeyricefried9621]

90s… Last Great Decade

[@fishheadlemonsnack824]

I still love this man.

[@peterlubbers5947]

Oh what i would´ve loved to have a talk with that man.. May you rest in peace Mr Foote...

[@documax123]

Brilliant answers.

[@dcs5343]

Such a remarkably impressive gentleman Shelby Foote was!

[@cnb4110]

A true genius in his own right,on the level of Tacitus!

[@googalacticgoo]

I loved his get down since the Ken Burn series

[@morganottlii2390]

When I read his trilogy, the voice I heard was the same as what he actually sounded like, and that was BEFORE I ever heard him speak.

[@brianlooksaround6125]

That analysis of Lincoln - wow!

[@doreekaplan2589]

The many lecturers on this subject seem boring to me while his being interviewed is the most interesting. Questions and answers works.

[@TheSnoopindaweb]

🤔🤨💭 Well done, thank You❗ G-G.

[@davidswift7776]

Where was this speech given? Always enjoy the cadence and accent and pronunciation of Mr Foote’s discussions. Please include some insight behind this presentation, especially the school. Thank you for the KZbin post. I certainly hope he was correct about the office of the President being honor proof so to speak.. especially after Trump’s exception.

[@aspen327]

RIP Mr. Foote unfortunately, I think there might be another civil war. We are so separate by our views. We not learn to agree to not disagree. I hope we can learn to come together. People need remember more Americans died during civil war than any war.

[@SanJuanCreole]

Shelby Foote made the ken burns civil war more interesting. May he rest in peace 🙏

[@johnschuh8616]

The irony is that Burns seems to have lost his objectivity about the War.

[@douggraves8958]

an amazing american

[@jude999]

Which University?

[@tomjones2202]

I wonder what he would say today seeing all the division between the races now,,, Lady Jane, the world is a sadder place without the likes of Mr. Foote. It's a sadder place without the likes of Fredrick Douglas,, and Harriett Tubman and many others. We can only hope and pray our country can come to grips with this race thing and put it behind us once and for all,,,,

[@hambam7533]

I hope Mr Foote is how having a cup of coffee with lee grant Lincoln and Jackson in heaven

[@dcxxx6850]

Burke VA … that figures.

[@jimhayes316]

If you're looking for am American Treasure, look no further

[@JohnSmith-dh4gw]

Hey, here's an idea: Go sit on the front porch with your Grandparents. I realize not everybody has Grandparents. Or a front porch. Go talk to anyone born before touch tone telephones. If you don't know what a touch tone telephone is, ask the next old person you see.

[@BeforeAndAfterScience]

It's astonishing that conservatives don't excoriate him for his discarding the notion of American exceptionalism. I wonder what's different.

[@ronniebishop2496]

Andrew Jackson just ignored the constitution and Supreme Court

[@kylekullin2520]

He's also a badass!

[@wintonhudelson2252]

Jackson also prevented the country from engaging in a Civil War during the Nullification Crisis. Please read about. As this period, 1828 to 1832 is largely forgotten in the history books.

[@fuckcensorship69]

Lincoln also ignored the constitution.

[@ronniebishop2496]

@@fuckcensorship69 I’m sure Lincoln did, his administration was filled with war.

[@onetakeadventureswithjoeld4679]

What would he comment about Joe Biden I wonder .........

[@NetCerpher]

The man himself abhorred being called historian. He classified himself purely as a writer.

[@warplanner8852]

"..the presidency will survive almost anything.." It's unfortunate that Mr Foote passed away in 2006. He did endure Bush but missed Obama and his drooling, incompetent sidekick, Biden. Of course that mouth-breather and his cabal are creating a hell on earth hardly imagined by Mr Foote and I suspect that Shelby would revise his opinion were he alive today.

[@blakelester1776]

I’m glad this man wasn’t alive to witness that tragedy at the Capital....

[@ramp7t]

False Flag, Jan. 6 2021

[@veritasetlibertas7889]

That was not a tragedy. Let's stop the abuse of that term. What happened on Jan 6 2021 was a manufactured event.

[@blakelester1776]

@@veritasetlibertas7889 “Manufactured”... So it didn’t happen? I don’t blame Trump for what happened at the capital. Now if he would have conceded with honor like most men would have done it probably would have been avoided.... Trump is a ego maniac that cannot concede because it would make him a “loser”... He would have done the same thing if Hillary beat him in 2016. Oh and you know his claims are bogus because the most severe were never offered as evidence in court, in the fear of committing perjury. It was a side show that right wing militia groups took advantage of to use thousands of his supporters as a giant meat shield to break into the capital. It’s still a tragic event. Now you wanna have some tin hat belief that all Dems are child molesters or whatever you might use to demonize either the Right or Left wing of our politics you go right ahead. I’m attempting to bring them more back to the center where we can compromise on important issues and actually make government work for the public good again.

[@veritasetlibertas7889]

@@blakelester1776 Manufactured doesn't mean it didn't happen. A car is manufactured and it exists.

[@blakelester1776]

It’s called sarcasm. I was sarcastically referring to your manufacturing remark... The Capital being stormed because it makes us look like a 3rd world country... It displays for the world that fascism is contesting our democracy by refusing to accept legal election results... That the Right wing of the Republican Party will say anything to demonize democrats by accusing them as pedophiles, and sex traffickers. With the intention of intimidating democratic voters by associating with pedophiles which is an accusation that carries huge emotional reactions.... anyone with a sane mind does not condone pedophiles.... As far as Washington goes sexual deviance is spread pretty evenly between both parties. The Q-tubers create their own “facts” to bolster their following and in attempt to decline support for their opponents. It’s politics at is lowest measure, and sensible people can see right though it. However people that don’t follow politics see this, take it as reality and rally behind it.... It’s fascism at its core with the objective clear. Take away your opponents humanity, and have your followers more emotionally involved.

[@AintNoFool]

Wish he had seen Trump in office.

[@mgmartin51]

And I’m not sure he would be so quick to dismiss the possibility of another civil war.

[@johnschuh8616]

Must say that the worst mistake that West Virginians made was seceding. Had they not, then after the war Republicans would have been the dominant force in both places.

[@garytellep5392]

Shelby Foote is full of shit. As a US Army Captain in the Mississippi National Guard he was activated & deployed to Northern Ireland in 1943, was court martialed for what appeared to be a minor offense, unauthorized taking of a military vehicle to see a woman and dismissed from the service. With D-Day looming every GI worth anything was needed in France but apparently they could do without Shelby. He never set foot on Continent Europe. Never fought the Nazis and never was commanded by Patton in combat theater. Stateside again he enlisted in the Marines as a Private in 1945 but never left the states. His comments here, to an audience of basically kids who believed whatever he nonsense he spouted about a "Good War" possibly would think differently of him & his opinions had the truth been told.

[@ayrtonong9041]

The paltry banana behaviorally explain because ukraine rapidly grab like a slim competitor. possessive, neat manager

[@melodymakermark]

Ukraine should be capitalized.

[@susanneblackwell2515]

Wish he had lived to talk about the Trump presidency.

[@journeyman378]

If he were alive today and heard how Republicans are talking he might change his opinion on us not having another civil war!

[@ANDYYANKEE]

This Great Man never met Biden! 🤢