Civil War history repeats itself

February 13, 2012 by Alexia Gyorody 

Meetings between Douglass and Lincoln re-enacted during performance at famous Washington D.C. theater

On Frederick Douglass’ birthday and the eve of Abrahman Lincoln’s birthday, I sat in the balcony of Ford’s Theater in Washington D.C. watching the two banter about abolition.

Well, two actors representing the men.

Necessary Sacrifices, written by Richard Hellesen, is a play currently running at the historic theater, which wraps up on the 18th and highlights Douglass’ and Lincoln’s primary two meetings at the White House during the Civil War, in the summers of 1863 and 1864.

Historians and writers have for decades written about the parallels of the two men’s lives and hypothesized and reflected on their relationship.

Both deeply wanted freedom for slaves, achieved many goals during their lives, and both made enemies fighting for what they believed to be right.

Sacrifices opened with a violinist playing Stephen Foster’s 1854 song “Hard Times Come Again No More,” arranged by sound designer John Gromada.

Douglass then addressed the audience with a speech about his own history and his apprehension in admiring President Lincoln, which is explained more throughout the production.

In the course of the play, Douglass consistently argues for, well, consistency in President Lincoln’s beliefs and actions.

Douglass confronts Lincoln about the discriminatory treatment of black recruits in the Union Army and their worse fate when captured by Confederate forces.

He tells him that if black men are dying on the front lines that they should be treated as well as the white soilders: receiving equal pay, fair treatment and appropriate promotions.

He says this shouldn’t be a war just about uniting the Union, but an abolitionist war. He accuses Lincoln of being tardy in signing the Emancipation Proclamation and encourages him to think seriously about the citizenship status of freed slaves after the war.

Lincoln argues that while he mostly agrees with Douglass, he must take it one step at a time and do what he can, when he can.

Then at one point Lincoln says, “I can only go as far and as fast as the people let me.”

“That’s not leadership,” Douglass counters.

To which Lincoln responds, “It is in a democracy.”

At that moment the message of the play, to me, became real.

I got it.

These were real men, struggling with real issues and having to walk the line between what they thought was right and what they could actually do.

Jennifer Nelson, the play’s director and director of special programming at Ford’s Theater, told me that’s precisely what she wanted to convey to the audience.

“I hope that people understand who we regard as icons in our history books. They were also real people who struggled to do the right thing,” she said. “It was of principle importance to me to represent these two icons as human beings. A little easier to relate to than statues.”

The play presents a pensive and funny President Lincoln and a passionate, unrelenting Frederick Douglass.

Lincoln weighs his personal beliefs against what he can accomplish as president. While Douglass must come to terms with the difference between a man and a politician.

Don’t we all?

John Stauffer, author of “Giants: The Parallel Lives of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln,” asked, “What’s captured is Lincoln’s humility and his great sense of humor … For Frederick Douglass, being respected was far more important than being liked.”

Their two encounters are nothing short of emotionally charged collisions. While they both want the same outcome — freedom for all slaves — Douglass wants it immediately and Lincoln must tread lightly in the minefield that is 19th century politics.

It also must have been hard to advocate for freedom for slaves when you had one serving you breakfast, eh Mr. Lincoln?

But the play taught me that political figures and people are not one in the same, although that is perhaps not morally sound. Shouldn’t we be able to stand firm in our beliefs no matter what hat we’re wearing? Even if it happens to be a top hat?

Then again, the ideal situation isn’t always the realistic one.

Honest Abe had a tricky situation to navigate, to say the least. But at the end of the day he took off his boots like we all do. He was an imperfect human.

“History plays must be true to the past. Be faithful to the subject … and must also have modern appeal,” Stauffer said.

Modern appeal indeed. Happy election year!