Edna Greene Medford talked about the state of scholarship on the life and career of Abraham Lincoln. She said President Lincoln must be looked at in the context of his era. She responded to authors such as Thomas DiLorenzo and Lerone Bennett who had published books critical of Lincoln. She also discussed current racial issues, education, and the possibility of the first black president. 

Edna Medford taught history at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on the subjects of Jacksonian America, African-American History, and 19th century history. She was also the co-author with Frank Williams and Harold Holzer of the book Emancipation Proclamation: Three Views, published by Louisiana State University Press.