# Benjamin Franklin Butler: A Noisy, Fearless Life

Long after his death in 1893, Benjamin Franklin Butler was remembered largely by caricatures: as "Beast Butler," the Yankee general who insulted the honor of white Southern women and purportedly stole silver spoons while in command of New Orleans in 1862; or as a political opportunist who changed parties frequently in order to advance his own ambitions. But how much does Butler's historical reputation reflect the reality of his actions and motivations? Author Elizabeth Leonard discovered an ambitious and complicated man who championed radical causes and equality of opportunity, and whose thinking evolved with the times. Butler's involvement in many of the most consequential events of his era made him a significant figure in 19th-century America, and argues for a more nuanced understanding of his life and legacy.

- Kind: Talk
- Year: 2022
- By: Library Of Congress. Manuscript Division
- Archive: [Library of Congress](https://www.loc.gov/item/2024698365/)
- Licence or status: Rights statement at the Library of Congress (as the archive states it)
- Credit: Library of Congress
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (the archive gives no rating; placed by Invisible Network from its collection and subjects)

[Watch now](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/watch/archive/loc/2024698365?play=1)