Joanne B. Freeman

Joanne B. Freeman is a widely celebrated American historian specializing in the nation’s early politics and political culture. She is a leading expert on Alexander Hamilton and his world; her work was the inspiration for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s song “Ten Duel Commandments” in Broadway’s “Hamilton” musical. She is currently a tenured professor at Yale University and co-host of the popular American history podcast Backstory. Her most recent book, “The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War,” focuses on how partisanship and physical violence helped pave the way to civil warfare.