Reaction to Bancroft Winner Arming America

A panel responded to Michael Bellesile’s winning of the Bancroft Prize for his book Arming America: The Origins of a National Gun Culture, published by Knopf. Clayton Cramer, author of Concealed Weapon Laws of the Early Republic: Dueling, Southern Violence, and Moral Reform published by Praeger Publishers, challenged the factual accuracy of Bellesile’s book. John Lott, author of More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun Control Laws published by the University of Chicago Press, spoke about press coverage of gun use and how guns are used in self defense. Stephen Halbrook, constitutional law attorney, spoke about the importance of the Second Amendment and his view of its historical meaning. After the presentations the panelists answered questions from members of the audience. close