♪ >> TONIGHT ON RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY.

>> TO HAVE SOMEONE SIT ACROSS FROM YOU AND TELL YOU THAT THEY INTENTIONALLY WALK THOUSANDS OF MILES THROUGH SOME TRULY HARSH CONDITIONS AND THAT THEY DID ALL OF THIS BECAUSE WHERE THEY WERE LIVING SEEMED HOPELESS.

>> TO HISTORICAL EVENTS THAT LOOK AIRILY SIMILAR, THE INSURRECTION ON THE CAPITAL IN 2021 AND THE DAYS LEADING UP TO ABRAHAM LINCOLN'’S FIRST INAUGURATION 160 YEARS EARLIER.

>> THERE WERE CROWDS TRYING TO GET INTO THE CAPITAL JUST LIKE JANUARY 6.

UNRULY DRUNKEN MEN SWEARING TRYING TO GET IN.

INSIDE, THERE WERE POLITICIANS GIVING SPEECHES DENOUNCING THE RESULT.

>> I DON'’T LIKE THE WAY THE MUSICIANS AND MARKETING PEOPLE HAVE REPRESENTED THE BLACK FOLK TRADITION AS THIS DEAD THING THAT EXIST IN THE PAST.

IF YOU DON'’T HAVE TRADITIONAL LACK FOLK IS THAT, YOU DON'’T GET BLUES, JAZZ, GOSPEL, ROCK '’N'’ ROLL, PUNK, DISCO.

♪ >> GOOD EVENING WELCOME TO RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY.

>> AS THE NEW YEAR BEGINS, IMMIGRATION REMAINS ONE OF THE THORNIEST POLITICAL ISSUES AND PRESIDENT BIDEN IS EXPECTED TO VISIT THE U.S. MEXICO BORDER THIS WEEK.

>> IN NEW ENGLAND, THE ISSUE GAINED NEW URGENCY THIS SEPTEMBER WITH THE ARRIVAL OF 49 VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS ON MARTHA'’S ISLAND SENT THERE BY OFFICIALS IN TEXAS AND FLORIDA.

HOW ARE THEY DOING IN WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THEIR HOPES TO LIVE IN THIS COUNTRY?

>> MARTHA'’S VINEYARD SLOWS DOWN THIS TIME OF YEAR.

THIS ISLAND OFF THE COAST OF CAPE COD IS AN UNLIKELY LANDMARK IN AMERICANS IMMIGRATION BATTLE BUT THIS PAST SEPTEMBER, THE VINEYARD WAS THE FRONT LINE.

>> 48 VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS FLOWN TO MARTHA'’S VINEYARD WEDNESDAY WILL SPEND ANOTHER NIGHT AT A LOCAL CHURCH.

>> ON AN ORDINARY WEDNESDAY IN SEPTEMBER, WEDDING SEASON, 49 VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS SUDDENLY TURNED UP ON MARTHA'’S VINEYARD LIKE GATE CRASHING GUEST.

THEY WERE BROUGHT HERE ON TWO PRIVATE PLANES AND WHEN THEY GOT HERE THERE WAS PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION AND A CAMERA CREW WAITING FOR THEM.

THEY BASICALLY BROUGHT THEM TO THE HIGH SCHOOL AND DROP THEM OFF.

>> LORD WITH PROMISES OF JOBS, HOUSING, BROCHURES TO BACK UP THE LIES.

>> THIS IS NOT EVEN THE FLAG OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.

>> FLIGHTS CHARTERED BY RON DESANTIS USING FUNDS INTENDED FOR COVID RELIEF TO PAY FOR THEM.

>> WE ARE NOT A SANCTUARY STATE AND IT'’S BETTER TO BE ABLE TO GO TO A SANCTUARY JURISDICTION AND YES, WE WILL HELP FACILITATE THAT TRANSPORT FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO GO TO GREENER PASTURES.

>> THEY WERE ALL EXHAUSTED AND INCREDIBLY CONFUSED.

>> LISETTE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST RESPONDERS ON SCENE.

SHE RUNS THE HOMELESS SHELTER ISLAND.

>> THEY DIDN'’T EVEN KNOW THEY WERE COMING TO MARTHA'’S VINEYARD AND THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WERE THEIR JOBS AND HOUSES?

THAT'’S WHAT THEY WERE TOLD.

WE ARE LOOKING AT THEM GOING THERE ARE NO JOBS OR HOUSES.

>> WE USED EVERY SPACE AVAILABLE.

>> THEY SET UP CAMP IN ST. ANDREW'’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND THEY SET TO WORK.

>> WE COULDN'’T CHANGE THEIR JOURNEY TO GET TO THE BORDER.

WE COULDN'’T CHANGE WHAT DESANTIS AND HIS PEOPLE DID CRUELLY TO THEM BUT WE CAN START FROM SQUARE ONE.

ON THE VINEYARD.

>> THIS ATTORNEY HAS AN IMMIGRATION LAW PRACTICE IN BOSTON BUT LIVES YEAR-ROUND ON THE VINEYARD.

>> I GOT TO THE CHURCH AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO LOOK OVER THE DOCUMENTATION.

THEY HAD BEEN PROCESSED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, THEY HAD THEIR PAPERWORK AND THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO REPORT OFFICES ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN VERY SHORT ORDER.

>> THEY HELPED MAKE SURE THE VENEZUELANS DIDN'’T MISS ANY CRUCIAL APPOINTMENTS BECAUSE THEY WERE STRANDED ON MARTHA'’S VINEYARD.

>> TO HAVE SOMEONE PLAY WITH YOU LIKE UPON ON A CHESSBOARD COMPLETELY DISPOSABLE, I CAN'’T IMAGINE THAT.

>> IF DESANTIS'’S GOAL WAS TO TEST THE VIRTUE SIGNALING OF AMERICA'’S LIBERAL ELITE -- >> ALL OF THIS PEOPLE IN BC AND NEW YORK WERE BEATING THEIR CHEST WHEN TRUMP WAS TRANSIT -- PRESIDENT SAYING THEY WERE PROUD TO BE SANCTUARY JURISDICTION SAYING HOW BAD IT WAS TO HAVE A SECURE BORDER, THE MINUTE EVEN A SMALL FRACTION OF WHAT THOSE BORDER TOWNS DEAL WITH EVERY DAY IS BROUGHT TO THEIR FRONT DOOR, THEY SUDDENLY GO BERSERK.

>> MARTHA'’S VINEYARD STEPPED UP IN A BIG WAY.

>> WE STARTED GOFUNDME THROUGH COMMUNITY SERVICES.

>> $280,000 CAME IN OVERNIGHT.

>> WITHIN 36-40 HOURS.

YES.

PEOPLE WANTED TO HELP.

>> JUDGING FROM THE HATE MESSAGES, -- >> [INDISCERNIBLE] >> THERE ARE PLENTY OF AMERICANS WHO APPLAUD GOVERNOR DESANTIS.

>> [INDISCERNIBLE] >> THIS WHOLE EPISODE TWO WHAT IS BOUND TO BE A CENTRAL ISSUE IN THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN.

THE VENEZUELANS AMONG THOUSANDS OF OTHERS CAUGHT IN AMERICA'’S BROKEN IMMIGRATION SYSTEM.

THIS DID BRING THE PROBLEM HOME TO THE VINEYARD IN A STARK NEW WAY.

>> THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF FLEEING A COUNTRY WAS FOREIGN TO ME.

WE HEAR ABOUT IT IN THE NEWS AND YOU SEE THE WARS ON TV AND POVERTY AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT TO HAVE SOMEONE SIT ACROSS FROM YOU AND TELL YOU THAT THEY INTENTIONALLY WALK THOUSANDS OF MILES THROUGH TRULY HARSH CONDITIONS AND THEY DID ALL OF THIS BECAUSE WHERE THEY WERE LIVING SEEMED HOPELESS OR DANGEROUS.

>> THE VINEYARD HAS A SIZABLE IMMIGRANT POPULATION.

HE WORKS AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY, HE IS A NEW CITIZEN HAVING BEEN SPONSORED BY HIS WIFE.

HE SAYS THE COMMUNITY WAS INTRIGUED BY ALL THE SUPPORT THE ISLANDERS GIVE THE VENEZUELANS.

>> EVERYONE IS HAPPY THAT THEY HAD SOMETHING TO LOOK FOR THEM THAT IS AWESOME.

WE HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME AND WE DON'’T HAVE THE SAME KIND OF HELP.

>> IT'’S NOT THAT YOU BEGRUDGE THEM BUT YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE SAME HELP YOURSELF.

>> YES WE DIDN'’T HAVE THE SAME HELP THESE PEOPLE DID.

WE ARE OBVIOUSLY SO GLAD THEY HAVE SOME HELP AND SOMEONE TO LOOK FOR THEM.

>> OF THE 49 VENEZUELANS BROUGHT HERE, ONLY HALF A DOZEN ARE STILL ON THE ISLAND.

THE REST HAVE SCATTERED TO OTHER TOWNS ON THE MAINLAND.

THEY FACE A TOUGH ROAD SEEKING ASYLUM AND THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES.

>> JOSE, NOT HIS REAL NAME LIVES IN A SMALL TOWN IN SOUTHERN MASSACHUSETTS WE HAVE AGREED NOT TO SAY WHERE.

A COMFORTABLE SPOT FOOD AND SHELTER WILL MET.

HEAT AND HOT WATER INCLUDED.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING?

HE WANTS TO WORK, HE SAYS.

HE CAN'’T EVEN APPLY FOR A WORK PERMIT FOR SIX MONTHS.

>> THE BIGGEST QUESTION I GET ASKED BY ALL 49 OF THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE MY CELL PHONE AND WE STAY IN CONTACT IS WHEN CAN I WORK?

I JUST WANT TO GET TO WORK.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT IN ORDER TO LAWFULLY WORK, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION DOCUMENT ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.

>> THEY JUST HAVE TO WAIT FOR IT.

>> YES AND IN THE INTERIM, A LOT OF PEOPLE GO UNDERGROUND.

>> REALISTICALLY THAT MEANS A TWO YEAR WAIT GETTING A WORK PERMIT REVEILLE 10 YEARS TO GET A JUDGE TO RULE ON THE ASYLUM CLAIM.

>> ARE THEY ENDANGERED BEING DEPORTED?

>> NOT IN MASSACHUSETTS.

>> HAS A SAYS STAYING IN VENEZUELA WAS NOT AN OPTION.

THUGS STARTED PAYING HIS FAMILY REGULAR VISITS.

>> HE WAS WORKING FOR HIS AUNT'’S BUSINESS, HE WAS ASSAULTED AND STABBED.

ON DECEMBER 15.

LAST YEAR.

>> THEY STABBED YOU.

>> HE WAS CALLED BY HIS NAME AND WHEN HE LOOKED UP, HE WAS STABBED.

>> HE SAYS HE FELT -- FLED FOR HIS LIFE TO PERU PERU WAS NOT SAFE EITHER SO JUST AS SOON AS HE WAS WELL ENOUGH TO TRAVEL, HE SET ON FOOT TO THE U.S. BORDER.

>> TWO MONTHS 15 DAYS WALKING.

>> HIS ONLY TREASURED POSSESSIONS THE STUFFED ANIMALS HIS SON AND DAUGHTER GAVE HIM.

THE VENEZUELANS HAVE FILED A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST GOVERNOR DESANTIS.

>> I BELIEVE THEY WERE KIDNAPPED.

>> THAT'’S A STRONG WORD.

>> YES BUT THERE IS KIDNAPPING WHERE EVENTUALLY YOU LIE TO SOMEONE.

THE CBS AFTERNOON SPECIAL OF THE DANGEROUS MAN WITH A ICE CREAM CONE.

>> THIS WAS THE IMMIGRATION EQUIVALENT OF THE PUPPY IN THE VAN.

>> YES I BELIEVE THAT.

>> WITH THE SHERIFF, ALL 49 HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED AS VICTIMS OF CRIME UNLAWFUL RESTRAINT.

>> THAT IS QUALIFYING CRIME FOR SOMETHING CALLED A U VISA.

WHEN YOU APPLY FOR THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL CERTIFY YOU ARE THE VICTIM OF THE CRIME AND THE REASON THIS EXISTS IS SO THAT VICTIMS OF CRIME AREN'’T AFRAID TO COME FORWARD AND ASSIST LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THEIR INVESTIGATION OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.

>> SHE SAYS ULTIMATELY THE FLORIDA GOVERNOR MAY HAVE DONE THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT HE WAS HOPING TO ACHIEVE.

>> THE FACT THAT THESE 49 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED AS VICTIMS OF A CRIME PUTS THEM IN A DIFFERENT CATEGORY IN TERMS OF THEIR IMMIGRATION.

>> THE IRONY OF THE ACTIONS OF THE OPERATORS IN FLORIDA IS THAT THEY PROVIDED THEM A PATH TO GREEN CARD BY VICTIMIZING THEM.

♪ >> UP NEXT AS WE MARK THE TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE JANUARY 6 INSURRECTION, WE TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE VIOLENT ATTACK ON THE CAPITAL AND HOW IT EXPOSED DEEP VISIONS WITHIN THE COUNTRY.

A RHODE ISLAND-BASED HISTORIAN SAYS IT IS REMINISCENT OF ANOTHER DARK TIME IN AMERICAN HISTORY THAT UNFOLDED MORE THAN A CENTURY AGO.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN HAD JUST WON THE PRESIDENCY AND THE NATION WAS ON THE VERGE OF A CIVIL WAR.

>> HE IS MOVING VERY FAST AND IF HE SLOWS DOWN TOO MUCH, HE BECOMES VULNERABLE AGAIN BECAUSE WHEN HE IS STANDING STILL IS WHEN SOMEONE CAN GET CLOSE TO HIM WITH BAD INTENT.

>> THAT FAST-MOVING MAN WAS ABRAHAM LINCOLN ON BOARD A TRAIN HEADING TO HIS INAUGURATION IN WASHINGTON, D.C.. A HISTORIAN AND AUTHOR TED WIDMER SPENT YEARS COMBING THROUGH NEWSPAPER ARTICLES AND RESEARCH RESEARCHING THE JOURNEY STARTING IN ILLINOIS.

>> I WENT INTO A DEEP VORTEX ALMOST LIKE TIME TRAVEL AND I WOULD GO ANYWHERE I COULD FIND OUT A SHRED OF INFORMATION ABOUT ANYTHING THAT HAPPENED TO ABRAHAM LINCOLN DURING THESE 13 DAYS.

>> IT WAS FEBRUARY 1861.

LINCOLN WAS RECEIVING DAILY DEATH THREATS OVER HIS OPPOSITION TO SLAVERY.

SEVERAL STATES HAD ALREADY SECEDED AND THE NATION WAS ON THE CUSP OF A CIVIL WAR.

>> YOU LEARN A LOT ABOUT WHAT WAS AT STAKE AS LINCOLN MADE HIS WAY TOWARD WASHINGTON, D.C.. WHAT WAS AT RISK?

>> THE SURVIVAL OF DEMOCRACY BASICALLY.

A KIND OF PRINCIPLED DEMOCRACY THAT BELIEVED IN THE WORTH OF EVERY INDIVIDUAL.

IF THIS FORM OF SELF-GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO SURVIVE, WE NEED A STRONG UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO SHOW PEOPLE HOW IT IS DONE.

>> HE FOLLOWS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT 1900 MILE ROUTE THROUGH THE CAPITALS OF OHIO, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, PENNSYLVANIA.

STATES THAT HAD ELECTED HIM.

>> IN THE NORTH, THERE IS HOPE THAT HE WILL COME IN AND BE A STRONG PRESIDENT BUT THERE IS A LOT OF ANXIETY THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A PRESIDENT FROM THIS PARTY.

IT'’S A BRAND-NEW PARTY CALLED THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND THE IDEA THAT A NEW KIND OF PRESIDENT IS COMING IN AND MAKE A WRIT OF SLAVERY OR WILL SOMEHOW INHIBIT THE SPREAD OF SLAVERY, THAT IS SCARY TO NORTHERNERS ALSO INCLUDING IN RHODE ISLAND BECAUSE THERE ARE NORTHERNERS WITH EXTENSIVE ECONOMIC INTERESTS IN THE SOUTH.

IN THE SOUTH IT IS MUCH WORSE THAN ANXIETY, IT IS REALLY HATRED.

HE IS BUILT UP IN THE SOUTHERN PRESS AS A KIND OF MONSTER.

>> AS LINCOLN WAS EN ROUTE TO WASHINGTON, DAVIS WAS RUSHING TO HIS OWN INAUGURATION IN ALABAMA.

A RACE BETWEEN TWO COMPLETING -- COMPETING PHILOSOPHIES.

WIDMER SAYS DIGGING THROUGH THIS CHAPTER OF LINCOLN'’S LIFE WAS A LABOR OF LOVE AND THE PASSION IS ON DISPLAY IN HIS HOME ON THE EAST SIDE OF PROVIDENCE FROM HIS COLLECTION OF OLD MAPS TO THIS PORTRAIT OF LINCOLN.

>> SOMETHING ABOUT HIM HAS ALWAYS ATTRACTED ME THE WAY IT ATTRACTS MILLIONS OF AMERICANS SOMETHING IN THE SADNESS OF THE FACE AND THE INCREDIBLE STORY.

WE TALK ABOUT RAGS TO RICHES AND THE AMERICAN DREAM, BUT NO ONE EVER CAME FROM AS OBSCURE A BACKGROUND AND ACHIEVED AS MUCH AS ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

HE LITERALLY SAVED OUR COUNTRY.

>> MANY PEOPLE SAW LINCOLN FOR THE FIRST TIME DURING HIS INAUGURAL TRAIN RIDE TO D.C..

HE STOPPED IN EIGHT STATES ULTIMATELY SHAKING THOUSANDS OF HANDS.

THAT TRIP COULD BE VIEWED AS A FORESHADOWING OF WHAT WAS TO COME.

>> AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIP, THERE WAS A DEVICE FOUND ON THE TRACK EVEN IN ILLINOIS NEAR THE BORDER WITH INDIANA ON THE FIRST DAY THAT SOMEONE HAD PUT THEIR TO CAUSE MAYHEM.

IT WAS FOUND BY PEOPLE LOOKING AHEAD SO THE DANGER WAS REMOVED, BUT IN CINCINNATI A COUPLE DAYS LATER, A BAG WAS PLACED WITH AN EXPLOSIVE DEVICE MOMENTS BEFORE HE GOT ONTO THE TRAIN AND IT WAS FOUND AND REMOVED.

>> THERE WERE DANGERS AT EVERY CORNER INCLUDING A PLOT TO KILL HIM IN BALTIMORE.

STILL, HE GAVE ABOUT 100 SPEECHES THROUGHOUT THE TRIP ON AND OFF THE TRAIN.

TO SHORE UP DEMOCRACY, LINCOLN NEEDED TO SPEAK EVERY TIME A CROWD FORMED NEAR HIS TRAIN.

>> HE IS WALKING A TIGHT ROPE.

HE KNOWS HE IS FACING REAL DANGER.

HE HAS BEEN INFORMED ABOUT THIS PLOT AND EVERY DAY, THEY GETTING MORE INFORMATION.

HE IS LITERALLY HEADING INTO THE JAWS OF DANGER.

HE IS HEADING TOWARD BALTIMORE, THERE IS NO WAY HE CAN GET TO WASHINGTON WITHOUT GOING THROUGH BALTIMORE.

HE ALSO JUST HAS AN INTUITIVE SENSE THAT HE HAS TO GET OUT THERE AND TALK ABOUT AMERICA, TALK ABOUT HIMSELF.

SELL THE IDEA OF THE LAKE AND PRESIDENCY TO PEOPLE THAT STILL FEEL ANXIETY.

>> AS HE WAS TRAVELING THROUGH OHIO, CONGRESS WAS MEETING TO CERTIFY THE RESULTS OF THE 1860 ELECTION.

WIDMER SAYS IT WAS A FRAUD DAY AS HATERS TRIED TO DISRUPT THE COUNT.

>> THERE WERE CROWDS TRYING TO GET INTO THE B -- CAPITOL JUST LIKE JANUARY 6.

THERE WERE DRUNKEN MEN SWEARING.

BUT INSIDE, THERE WERE POLITICIANS GIVING SPEECHES JUST LIKE WE SAW ON JANUARY 6.

>> THERE WERE FEARS THAT CONGRESS MIGHT TAKE OVER THE ELECTION.

A LOT OF POWER WAS IN THE HANDS OF THE VICE PRESIDENT.

HE IS THE ONE WHO WAS IN CHARGE COUNTS IN THE ELECTORAL VOTES.

HE REFUSED TO CHEAT.

HE'’S KIND OF LIKE MIKE PENCE IN THE STORY.

HE REFUSED TO CHEAT AND HE PRESIDED OVER AN HONEST COUNT THAT DECLARED LINCOLN THE PRESIDENT-ELECT.

>> WIDMER'’S BOOK WAS PUBLISHED NINE MONTHS BEFORE THE INSURRECTION ON THE CAPITAL.

AS HE WATCHED THE ATTACK UNFOLD, HE WAS STRUCK BY THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THAT DAY AND LEADING UP TO THE INAUGURATION.

>> ONE OF THE MOVING PARTS OF MY BOOK WAS THAT ORDINARY PEOPLE STARTED WALKING AROUND THE CAPITAL TO DEFEND IT.

IN THE DAYS THEY FELT THERE MIGHT BE UP PRO-SOUTHERN TAKEOVER AT THE CAPITAL BEFORE LINCOLN EVEN GOT THERE.

PEOPLE LIKE FIREMEN, BLACKSMITHS, THE WORKING PEOPLE OF WASHINGTON, D.C. DID NOT WANT TO SEE A COUP HAPPEN IN THEIR CITY.

THEY PATROLLED AROUND THE CAPITAL TO KEEP AN EYE ON IT.

WE NEED TO BE THE SAME WAY IN 2022.

>> LIZ CHENEY READ WIDMER'’S BOOK BEFORE THE ATTACK ON THE CAPITOL.

SHE LOST HER CONGRESSIONAL SEAT AFTER SITTING ON THE JANUARY 6 COMMITTEE.

>> I WILL NOT SIT BACK AND WATCH IN SILENCE WHILE OTHERS LEAD OUR PARTY DOWN A PATH THAT ABANDONS THE RULE OF LAW AND JOINS THE FORMER PRESIDENT'’S CRUSADE TO UNDERMINE OUR DEMOCRACY >> WIDMER SAYS CHENEY RECENTLY CALLED HIM TALK ABOUT THE BOOK.

SHE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT MIGHT'’VE HAPPENED HAD THE WRITERS GOT IN THEIR HANDS ON THE BOXES CONTAINING THE ELECTORAL VOTES.

>> SHE KNEW THAT WAS A WEAK POINT IN OUR SYSTEM.

THAT WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL ON THE DAY OF THE COUNTING OF THE ELECTORAL VOTES.

SHE SAID MY BOOK GAVE HER SOME FOREKNOWLEDGE THAT WAS VERY VALUABLE TO HER THAT DAY.

>> IT HAS BEEN MORE THAN 160 YEARS SINCE LINCOLN'’S INAUGURAL TRAIN RIDE BUT WIDMER HOPES THAT WHAT HAPPENED BACK THEN CONTINUES TO RESONATE TODAY.

>> WHAT IS THE MAIN THING YOU WANT READERS TO TAKE FROM YOUR BOOK?

>> I WANT THEM TO LOOK AT LINCOLN AS A FLESH AND BLOOD HUMAN BEING NOT SOMEONE WE SEE IN A STATUE OR PAINTING.

HE WAS VERY BRAVE AND STOOD UP FOR HIS COUNTRY WHEN HIS COUNTRY NEEDED HIM.

FROM THOSE UNDERSTANDING THEM OF LINCOLN I HOPE WE CAN FIND IN OURSELVES SOME OF THOSE QUALITIES.

JANUARY 6 SHOWED HOW FRAGILE OUR STRONG COUNTRY IS.

WE ONLY STAND UP INDIVIDUALLY BUT ALSO HELPING EACH OTHER AND I THINK WE WILL BE A BETTER COUNTRY IF WE DO THAT.

>> FINALLY, THE OCEAN STATE HAS LONG BEEN A HAVEN FOR FOLK MUSIC.

THE NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL HAS HOSTED THE BIGGEST NAMES INCLUDING JOHN BYERS, BOB DYLAN, JOHNNY CASH SINCE ITS INAUGURAL SEASON IN 1959.

TONIGHT IN OUR MY TAKE SERIES, WE EXPLORE THE OFTEN FORGOTTEN HISTORY OF BLACK FOLK MUSIC.

WITH THE HELP OF PROVIDENCE-BASED MUSICIAN JAKE BLUNT.

♪ >> MY NAME IS JAKE BLUNT AND THIS IS MY TAKE ON BLACK FOLK MUSIC.

♪ BLACK FOLK MUSIC IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS THE BEDROCK OF EVERY MAJOR AMERICAN MUSICAL EXPORT.

IF YOU DON'’T HAVE TRADITIONAL BLACK FOLK MUSIC, YOU DON'’T GET BLUES, JAZZ, GOSPEL, ROCK '’N'’ ROLL, ANY OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF ROCK '’N'’ ROLL.

YOU DON'’T GET PUNK, ISCO, HOUSE.

WE HAVE A SPOTTY HISTORICAL RECORD WHEN IT COMES TO BLACK FOLK MUSICIANS AND OUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE CANON.

THERE'’S A LOT OF RESTORATION OF THE HISTORICAL NARRATIVE WE HAVE TO DO.

IN THE EARLY 1900S, START TO SEE EXECUTIVES GO INTO THE SOUTH AND THEY BEGIN TO MARKET WHITE MUSICIANS FROM THE SOUTH AS HILLBILLY MUSICIANS.

THEY MADE HILLBILLY RECORDS.

THAT IS WHAT WE WOULD GENERALLY CONSIDER EARLY COUNTRY MUSIC, EARLY FOLK MUSIC, STUFF IN THAT VEIN.

BLACK MUSICIANS WERE RECORDED MAKING RACE RECORDS.

THOSE TENDED TO BE EARLY BLUES AND JAZZ.

♪ >> THAT MEANT THESE GENRES THAT HAVE BEEN ALTOGETHER FED INTO ONE ANOTHER FOR SO LONG WOUND UP SPLITTING APART BECAUSE THERE WAS A FINANCIALS INCENTIVE FOR THEM TO DO THE AND THEY SPLIT APART ACROSS RACE LINES.

YOU HAD TO MAKE A CERTAIN TYPE OF MUSIC OR ELSE NOBODY WOULD RECORD YOU, NOBODY WOULD SELL YOUR STUFF, YOU WOULDN'’T BE ABLE TO PLAY GIGS.

THERE ARE SOME PROMINENT WHITE ARTIST FROM HILLBILLY RECORDS ACT IN THE DAY WHOSE WORK WE KNOW NOW WHO LEARNED WHAT THEY DID FROM BLACK MUSICIANS.

ONE EXAMPLE WOULD BE THE CARER FAMILY.

AP CARTER THE FATHER OF THAT FAMILY TRAVELED AROUND COLLECTING SONGS WITH A DISABLED BLACK MAN NAMED LESLIE RIDDLE WHO TAUGHT THEM A GOOD DEAL OF THE REPERTOIRE LIKELY HEAVILY INFLUENCED IF NOT COMPLETELY TAUGHT MAYBELLE CARTER HER GUITAR STYLE, HE DIDN'’T GET RECORDED UNTIL DECADES LATER.

HE IS PERFORMING THE SAME MUSIC BUT IT GETS CATEGORIZED UNDER BLUES NOT COUNTRY.

MUSICIANS AND MARKETING PEOPLE AND SCHOLARS HAVE REPRESENTED THE BLACK TRADITION.

I LIKE TO INCORPORATE TRADITIONAL REPERTOIRE IN THINGS THAT I'’M DOING NOW.

MY NEW ALBUM IS CALLED THE NEW FAITH.

♪ IT FEELS LIKE SITTING DOWN WITH SOMEBODY WHO I DON'’T KNOW AND THEM SHARING SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY PERSONAL AND THERE IS A UNIFYING FEELING AND THAT THAT WE ARE SHARING SOMETHING BECAUSE WE KNOW IT'’S IMPORTANT TO PASS ON.

WE KNOW IT'’S IMPORTANT FOR THE NEXT PERSON TO HAVE.

I DON'’T KNOW WHO I AM WITHOUT THIS MUSIC.

FOR BLACK PEOPLE THE SONGS ARE THE OLDEST TEXT WE HAVE.

THEY COME OUT OF A TIME AND PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WERE LEGALLY NOT PERMITTED TO LEARN TO READ AND WRITE.

MUCH LESS ENCOURAGED TO HONESTLY CONVEY THEIR THOUGHTS AND RECORDED MEDIUM.

THE SONGS ARE THE ONLY THING I HAVE TWO TELL ME WHAT MY ANCESTORS WANTED FOR ME AND HOW I'’M SUPPOSED TO THINK ABOUT THE WORLD EVEN AS IT EXCEEDS THE BALANCE OF MY INFLUENCE.

MY NAME IS JAKE BLUNT AND THIS WAS MY TAKE ON BLACKFOOT MUSIC.

-- BLACK FOLK MUSIC.

>> THAT'’S OUR BROADCAST THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> WE WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK WITH ANOTHER EDITION OF RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO SEE ALL OF OUR STORIES AND PAST EPISODES.

LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST ON YOUR FAVORITE STREAMING PLATFORM.

THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT.

♪