A recent edition of “MTSU On the Record” radio program delveds into the Declaration of Independence with a nationally recognized expert on America’s documents of freedom.

Dr. John Vile

Host Gina Logue’s interview with Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College and a prolific author of multiple books on America’s Founding Fathers and their work, first aired Aug. 28 on WMOT-FM Roots Radio 89.5 and online at www.wmot.org. You can listen to their conversation above.

“The Declaration of Independence: America’s First Founding Document in U.S. History and Culture” is set for a November 2018 release by publisher ABC-CLIO. Written entirely by Vile, the reference volume contains more than 200 entries pertaining to the declaration.

The book defines and explains concepts, principles and intellectual influences on the content of the United States’ first truly national statement of purpose. Other entries explain the declaration’s impact on art, music and literature.

Vile said one of the more interesting passages of prose from author Thomas Jefferson was one which the Continental Congress insisted be deleted from the declaration.

“He was charging the king (Great Britain’s George III) with introducing slavery into the colonies and telling how bad it was,” Vile said. “Then he was condemning the king and his governors for encouraging the slaves to revolt on the side of the British.”

You can read the full text of the Declaration of Independence here at the USHistory.org website; the deleted passages to which Vile refers are available in the “rough draft” section of the site.

Vile, who also is a Constitutional law expert, is the primary author of the new book “The American Flag: An Encyclopedia of the Stars and Stripes in U.S. History, Culture and Law,” which also is set for fall 2018 publication.

The new encyclopedia is the first and only dedicated solely to the American flag, according to the publisher and Vile, and provides a timeline, bibliography, index and essays on important flag-related topics.

To hear previous “MTSU On the Record” programs, visit the searchable “Audio Clips” archives at www.mtsunews.com.

For more information about “MTSU On the Record,” contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.