 Brodie believed that previous historians had unduly vilified Stevens, and she enjoyed the prospect of rebuilding a reputation rather than, as in her Joseph Smith biography, tearing one down. Stevens as a champion of black people was a timely interest as the Civil Rights era increased in intensity. Research materials were available at Yale University, where Bernard Brodie was employed. Fawn Brodie wondered how Stevens had been affected psychologically by his physical deformity, a club foot.
