“Williams was really America’s first individualist, the first
contradictor of authority, the first rebel,” explains John M.
Barry, author of
Roger Williams and The Creation of the American Soul: Church,
State, and the Birth of Liberty. While best known as the
founder of Rhode Island and for being a leading proponent of a
“wall of separation” between church and state, Barry argues that
Williams’ imprint on America is deeper than most recognize. “When I
started writing the book I quickly realized that I was not simply
writing about the emergence of the idea of religious liberty, but
liberty itself.”

Barry sat down with ReasonTV’s Nick Gillespie to discuss the
book, the enduring lessons of Roger Williams’ life, and why he is
not yet a household name.

About 9:10 minutes.

Cameras by Meredith Bragg and Jim Epstein. Edited by Meredith
Bragg.

Barry is the author of
numerous books, including The Great Influenza: The Story of the
Deadliest Pandemic in History and Rising Tide: The Great
Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How it Changed America.

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