founding fathers – Scott J. Pearson’s Book Review

The Last Founding Father: James Monroe & a Nation’s Call to Greatness

By Scott J. Pearson | December 10, 2024December 10, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

Virginians seem to dominate the early pantheon of American presidents. Four of the first five presidents were Virginians by birth. The last of these four – and the last president from the generation of founding fathers – is James Monroe. Most American high school students learn to associate his name with the “Monroe Doctrine” – the contention that Europe should not further colonize the Americas. While this position is perhaps his most lasting legacy, this…

African Founders: How Enslaved People Expanded American Ideals

By Scott J. Pearson | May 30, 2022May 30, 2022 by Scott J. Pearson

African-American contributions to American history are often pushed to the side and either given a lower priority when presented or segregated into its own area. These stories are often discussed during Black History Month, but then forgotten in the remaining eleven months of the year. In this book, a (white) Pulitzer Prize-winning author seeks to make a comprehensive, foundational case that enslaved people significantly enriched the cultural course of America – all before the Civil…