Book Talk: Alexis in America: A Russian Grand Duke’s Tour, 1871-72

Dr. Lee A. Farrow gave an overview of her book, Alexis in America: A Russian Grand Duke’s Tour, 1871-72, which recounts the duke’s progress through the major American cities of the period, detailing his meetings with public figures and describing the national self-reflection that his presence spurred in the American people. The tour was not without incident: many city officials balked at spending public funds on Alexis’s reception, and there were rumors of an assassination plot by Polish nationals in New York City. Farrow discussed how the visit highlighted broader national problems, such as political corruption and persistent racism, as well as the emerging cultural and political power of ethnic minorities and the continuing sectionalism between the North and the South.