Roseville, CA: Group teaches students about American Revolution

From Rosevile California: Group teaches students about American Revolution
Fifth graders at Excelsior School in Granite Bay learned about one of the bloodiest battles of the “War of Independence” during a presentation by the Gold Country Sons of the American Revolution on Tuesday.

They learned how the 1781 Battle of Guildford Court House in North Carolina ended with the Americans retreating — and the British subsequently abandoning their mission in the south.

“You may not even see this in your history books … but it was one of the most important battles of the American Revolution,” said presenter Dave Gilliard.

Gilliard and fellow members of the Sons of the American Revolution dressed in period attire as they recounted this pivotal battle. The group attempts to bring history alive so students better understand why Americans have fought for freedom.

By the end of February, the group will have presented to about 900 students in local schools. They invite these students to participate in a national Sons of the American Revolution poster contest. The winners earn scholarships.

They talk about reasons for the Revolutionary War and how the American Continental Army and militia learned a different way to fight from the American Indians. While the British Army marched in a straight line, the Americans hid behind trees and rocks, shot their guns and scattered.

In the Battle of Guildford, the Americans left the battlefield to save their troops. Of the roughly 4,000 American men who fought, 79 died and 185 were wounded. But of the British’s 1,900 men, 413 were wounded and 93 killed. Because of the heavy casualties, the British retreated.

Presenter Conni Barker also told the kids about life in colonial times — for instance how people accessed water.

“You had to carry a pail of water from a stream nearby and haul it back to your house,” said student Adam Zinn in response to a question.

People also grew their own food and sewed their own clothes.

“Their life was a whole lot different,” Barker said.

Maryland: American history essay winners announced

From Pal-Item.com: American history essay winners announced
Three students have been chosen winners in the annual American History Essay Contest sponsored by the National Old Trails chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Students in grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 were eligible for the competition. The National Old Trails chapter oversees the essay contest in the Nettle Creek, Centerville and Western Wayne school districts. Jean Dilley is the chapter's essay chairperson.

In celebration of the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, this year's topic was "Young America Takes a Stand: the War of 1812."

Essayists were to pretend they were alive during the War of 1812 and that they had a friend who has become famous in history because of standing up for America during that exciting but dangerous time.

Mattie Drew Doerstler is the fifth-grade winner. A student at Hagerstown Elementary School, she is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Darren Doerstler.

Julia Allen is the sixth-grade winner. A student at Centerville-Abington Elementary School, she is the daughter of Chris Prows and Crystal Allen.

Cameo Smith is the eighth-grade winner. A student at Hagerstown Junior-Senior High School, she is the daughter of Brad and Candace Smith.

Each essay written by the chapter winners has been forwarded to the state contest. The state winner participates in the national contest.

The three students are scheduled to present their essays at the National Old Trails chapter meeting March 15 at the First United Methodist Church in Hagerstown.

New posting schedule

Starting with the week beginning Feb 27, I will be posting in this blog at least twice a week, but sometimes no more than that. However, rest assured that there will be at least 2 posts a week.

Commentary: Black Soldier in American Revolution Remembered

From BET: Commentary: Black Soldier in American Revolution Remembered
If you’ve taken elementary level history classes, chances are you’ve at least heard of Crispus Attucks, the Black man famous for being the first person killed by British soldiers in the Boston Massacre. Historians are unsure if Attucks — who is sometimes incorrectly called “Christmas” — was a freed man or an escaped slave. Either way, after taking two British bullets in the chest and becoming one of the first casualties of the Revolutionary War, his body was laid in state, and he’s since been heralded as one of the heroes of the American revolution.

Fast-forward nearly 250 years and it seems many Americans have forgotten about the Blacks who fought and died in the Revolutionary War. In all, about 5,000 Black soldiers fought in the war, and many of them died. But the history books and students everywhere seem to have forgotten that fact, with Revolutionary War memorials focusing mostly on people like George Washington and Paul Revere. Thankfully, today, in North Carolina of all places, at least one Black man is being remembered for his service in the war that would eventually yield these United States.

Chaz Moore is a 30-year-old fireman in Raleigh who will this month become North Carolina’s first Black member of the Sons of the American Revolution, a club for direct male descendants of Revolutionary War soldiers. Moore recently discovered that his ancestor, Toby Gilmore, was kidnapped from Africa and sold into slavery at the age of 16. To earn his freedom, Gilmore agreed to fight for American independence.

There’s perhaps no greater reminder that the contribution Blacks made to the Revolutionary War is undervalued than by Moore’s admission that, until he found out about his forebear Gilmore, he wasn’t even sure Blacks fought in the revolution. “Growing up, I wasn’t even certain that African-Americans even fought in the Revolutionary War,’’ Moore told the Boston Globe. “It’s not something that’s talked about. Then to say, well, yeah, they did, and you’re a direct descendant of one was unbelievable, humbling. I had to redefine patriotism for myself.’’

If the only heroes you remember from studying early America are white, then maybe it’s time for you to redefine patriotism, too.

Empress of China becomes first US ship to trade with China

From Oxford University Press: Empress of China becomes first US ship to trade with China This Day in World History
February 22, 1784
Empress of China Becomes First US Ship to Trade with China

Carrying a full load of goods, including 30 tons of ginseng, and finally free of the ice that had choked the harbor for weeks, the Empress of China set out from New York on February 22, 1784 for China. Just months after the British had finally evacuated the city after the Revolutionary War, American merchants were seizing the opportunity afforded by independence to enter the China trade.

The Empress voyage was the brainchild of John Ledyard, who had sailed to the Pacific with British explorer Captain James Cook. He hoped to trade for furs in the Pacific Northwest and carry them to China. He found backers including Philadelphia merchant Robert Morris, financier of the American Revolution. The group found the copper-plated ship that became the Empress under construction in New England. Ledyard backed out when the fur plan fell through, but Morris suggested ginseng as a valuable replacement cargo. The Chinese prized the root as a cure for all manner of ills.

The Empress needed six months to make the 18,000-mile trip to Canton (modern Guangzhou) and four months to trade its cargo for tea and export porcelain. Returning home in five months, reaching New York in May 1785. She was greeted with superlatives. One city newspaper believed the voyage ushered in “a future happy period” in which “burdensome” trade with Europe could be replaced with profitable navigation “to this new world” in the east. The cargo was sold at a 30-percent profit, a substantial return.

Soon dozens of ships each year were plying the seas between the United States and China, helping build fortunes in New York and New England. The desire for speed in this trade gave birth in the 1830s to the magnificent clipper ships that were the fastest sailing ships ever built.

The Pressure of Preserving Our Legacy

From The Root: The Pressure of Preserving Our Legacy
A powder horn carried into battle by the black soldier Prince Simbo during the American Revolution. Harriet Tubman's silk shawl -- a gift from Queen Victoria. A Stearman PT-13D plane used to train Tuskegee Airmen. A photographic portrait of Elizabeth Catlett, the renowned sculptor and printmaker. The black fedora from Michael Jackson's Victory tour. These are but a few of the more than 10,000 artifacts in the National Museum of African American History and Culture's collection.

On Feb. 22, nine years after the Smithsonian Institution museum was established by an act of Congress, a shovel will finally break ground on its five-acre construction site. President Obama is scheduled to deliver remarks, and actress Phylicia Rashad will emcee the ceremony for what will be the only national museum building dedicated exclusively to African-American life, art, history and culture. Years of meticulous work have already gone into collecting the historic treasures that will be housed in the museum, which is scheduled to open in 2015, adjacent to the Washington Monument on the National Mall.

At the helm of that work is Rex M. Ellis, associate director for curatorial affairs. Formerly the vice president of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation's historic area in Virginia, Ellis develops and manages all of the museum's curatorial programs as his office collects, preserves and interprets historical objects from across the Diaspora.

The Root caught up with the man of many hats and asked him about some of the most surprising artifacts in the collection, how his staff hunts for historical treasures and why he's "scared to death" about the monumental responsibility he holds at work every day.

The Root: How do you go about deciding which experiences to cover and how to present them?

Rex M. Ellis: The first thing we do is realize that the only thing we can be is comprehensive, rather than encyclopedic. The process must involve a great deal of discussion with scholars, educators, museum professionals and the general public to get some sense of the expectations and what primary stories we should be telling. We also have a scholarly advisory committee that meets with us four times a year, made up of experts in a variety of fields -- history, culture and art.

Within history, for instance, a major focus is on slavery. The prominence of slavery is the unresolved issue in American history, and certainly a huge part of African-American history. Large topics like segregation, civil rights and military history would also be under a historical rubric. With our cultural rubric, we plan to do exhibitions that relate to music, performing arts, sports, business, science and medicine, as well as education. And the visual arts, in a variety of ways, will also be a part of what we show to the public.

TR: What are some of the most surprising artifacts that you've acquired?

RME: One thing that is very important, but we certainly didn't expect, was the acquisition of Emmett Till's casket. After Till's body was exhumed [in 2005 as part of a new investigation into his death], the casket was stored in the Burr Oak Cemetery outside of Chicago. By law, you can't put remains back in the same casket, so the original casket was inappropriately put in an unprotected place that was exposed to the weather, and not being taken care of at all. The family contacted our director and asked that something be done. We were happy to put the casket in our collection and ensure that it was protected and respected in the way that it needed to be.

Another surprising item is Nat Turner's Bible. We didn't expect that to come our way, but it serendipitously did. We authenticated it, conserved it, and it is a gem. We also have Chuck Berry's Cadillac, given to us by Mr. Berry.

TR: Where are the main places you go looking for artifacts for the collection?

RME: What we have tried to do is look to the repositories of families. We talk to African Americans to see if there are artifacts that are in attics, closets and places of storage that are still a part of the African-American community. We have been very blessed to have found a great number of items that way.

There are traditional ways also -- we look at collections from collectors around the country and around the world. But we have been very pleased by the amount of artifacts that we have found in the homes of African-American communities around the country.

TR: With regard to those more "traditional ways" of reaching out to smaller museums that have been collecting black-history treasures for decades, what has that relationship been like? Are any of them territorial about sharing with the big National Museum?

RME: We have tried our best, and I think we've been successful, at reminding ourselves, as well as museums around the country, that we stand on their shoulders. We really stand on the work that they have done and continue to do. We have respected them, and tried to collaborate with as many of them as possible. We have consistently let them know that we really depend on their wisdom, their feedback and their collaboration in order for our museum to be successful.

TR: How do you respond to people who question the need for a museum of African-American history, arguing that it could just be folded into the National Museum of American History?

RME: The necessity for an African-American museum is simply obvious, especially if it is seen as part of understanding America's tortured racial past and understanding what America should be about. We believe that discussing issues of liberty, equality, citizenship and race from a uniquely African-American lens is important and can be instructive to all Americans.

TR: How does it feel to curate the official national museum dedicated to African-American history and culture? Is it a daunting responsibility?

RME: Every day I say to myself and to my staff, "If you are not scared to death at the prospect of creating a museum that tells the story and preserves the legacy of our African-American past, you may be in the wrong place." It is an awesome responsibility that we all take with great humility and with great respect. What we do will live beyond us for generations.

NC's Sons of American Revolution inducts 1st black member, descended from Massachusetts slave

From Chicago Tribune: NC's Sons of American Revolution inducts 1st black member, descended from Massachusetts slave
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution in North Carolina is inducting its first black member, a firefighter who only recently learned his ancestor was freed from slavery after fighting for American independence.

Chaz Moore, 30, is a descendant of Toby Gilmore, the son of a chieftain in coastal West Africa who was kidnapped at 16 and sold into slavery in Massachusetts. He gained his freedom by joining the fight for what would become the United States.

"Growing up, I wasn't even certain that African-Americans even fought in the Revolutionary War," Moore said. "It's not something that's talked about. Then to say, well, yeah, they did, and you're a direct descendant of one was unbelievable, humbling. I had to redefine patriotism for myself."

Moore, who was born in Worcester, Mass., has been a Raleigh firefighter for about five years. On Saturday, he'll become the first black inducted into the North Carolina chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution in a ceremony at the state Museum of History.

His journey to his roots came through a cousin whose research into the family tree took her to the Old Colony Historical Society in Taunton, Mass. The family history took another turn in 2010 with the discovery that a relative named Maud May Sullivan, born in 1881, had been raised not by her mother, but by a stepmother.

Her biological mother, Almira Sullivan, had died in 1883, and she was a descendant of Toby Gilmore, slave and patriot.

So standing there that day in the museum was another Gilmore descendant. And no one was more surprised to learn this than Andrew Boisvert, museum archivist and library manager, who had studied Gilmore for nine years.

Because descendants had moved and last names had changed through marriage, Gilmore's line was thought to have ended in 1921 when a descendant named Caroline J. Gilmore, who had married one of Gilmore's grandsons, died. Gilmore's story is well-known in the area and still taught to children, Boisvert said.

"This is a guy who was born free, raised as a slave and then became a free man afterwards," Boisvert said.

Gilmore, born Shibodee Turry Wurry, was about 16 when he was kidnapped by slave traders in 1757. The slave ship changed course from Virginia to Rhode Island because of a storm, and the traders sold some slaves to pay for repairs.

Capt. John Gilmore of Raynham, Mass., bought Wurry and renamed him Toby Gilmore.

Some historians estimate that about 5,000 blacks fought against the British, although the number could be much higher. Records show Gilmore joined the war three times even though he gained his freedom with his first eight-day enlistment, Boisvert said. He became a successful farmer, built two homes (one of which still stands), fathered eight children and lived to the age of 70.

Moore wonders what would make a slave fight for the country that enslaved him.

"To stand side-by-side with your taskmaster, what was he thinking?" Moore asked. "What was he hoping to gain out of this?"

In 2006, when Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. learned he was the descendant of a Revolutionary War veteran, the executive director of Sons of the American Revolution estimated about 30 of the group's 27,000 members were black. The society doesn't ask for race on its application so no one is really certain how many members are black, said Don Shaw, SAR's current executive director.

Gates and SAR began a project to track black patriots, and the results of that work, titled "Patriots of Color," should go on a website within a few weeks, said Jane Ailes, an independent historical researcher. Ailes, who worked with Gates, said the website will include about 2,000 names verified by color and service, but she has a huge backlog of people to research. The project ran out of money more than a year ago, so additional research is at a standstill, she said.

She and Gates are including all people of color, the descriptions include mulatto, copper, yellow, colored, black, said Ailes, who discovered Gates' had a Revolutionary War veteran in his family tree. Their list includes people who helped the military, such as those who worked in shipyards, and women, who worked in camps and even on vessels.

"When I was in school, nobody talked about it," she said of non-whites who fought in the war. "It was as if it was a white man's war. And it wasn't. The Revolutionary War was the only time until the Korean War that black men served in the same units as white men and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with rifles. ... In revolutionary times, we still had slavery. The whites were afraid of blacks who had guns and knew how to use them. That's what makes the Revolutionary War so interesting and unique."

Joe Dooley of Falls Church, Va., helped organize a conference last year on the subject of black patriots. He says he knows 20 black members and estimates SAR now has as many as 50.

However, historians estimate about 10 percent of militias and George Washington's army were black.

"There's a terrible discrepancy here," Dooley said, noting that some African-Americans may have white ancestors who fought in the war.

The reasons may vary. Genealogical records may be harder to come by for blacks of the era because many were slaves. North Carolina may just now be getting its first member because of how rare it is to find descendants of Revolutionary soldiers that far south, he said.

Mike Taylor, secretary of the Raleigh SAR chapter, said he was especially pleased to be inducting Moore because he has traced ancestors who helped slaves escape through the Underground Railroad.

"It has deep personal meaning for me," he said. "... It's an important step forward, albeit a small step. Big steps hopefully will follow."

Group aims to add soldiers' names to war monument

From The Tennessean: Group aims to add soldiers' names to war monument For the first time since the monument was erected in 1976, the Gideon Carr chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution is adding names of 12 Revolutionary War soldiers on the monument to patriots on the old courthouse lawn in Charlotte. The cost: $100 per name. The chapter is working to raise funds to add the names and will host a pancake breakfast for $6 at Applebee's Saturday 7-9 a.m. to raise the funds. The chapter is also seeking descendents of the men whose names will be added. They are: Henry Bibb; Francis Balthrop; Barnabas Bledsoe; Moses Fussell; Henry Grimes; Reuben Gunn; David McAdoo; James Moore; Jordin Richardson; Solomon Rye; William Stone Sr. and Daniel Sullivan. Martha Gerdemen, registrar for the Gideon Carr chapter, says new names generally come up when a relative is applying to join one of the associations. “Actually most of these came from the Christopher Strong Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution,” Gerdeman said. “What happens is when people research their ancestry to join one of the societies, and then it’s under a name that nobody had realized was a Revolutionary soldier before.” The Christopher Strong Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution was formed in Charlotte in 2005. The Gideon Carr chapter has had the names for a few years, said Gerdeman, but had held off because of the cost to carve the names into granite. Gerdeman said she hopes the breakfast is successful as the list is lengthy. As well, the chapter plans a dedication when and if the funds are acquired for the engravings. “We are hoping to find descendents because when we get the names on there we are going to want to have a dedication ceremony, and we would hope to contact as many descendents as possible,” Gerdeman said. Gideon Carr, a Revolutionary War soldier from Virginia who served as a private in Colonel T. Taylor's Virginia Regiment, came to Dickson County around 1810 in his Seventies because he had been given a Revolutionary War land grant in this area. At the time Tennessee was a part of North Carolina. “His son had apparently moved here, so he came here to join him, and they named the chapter after him when it was formed 50 years ago,” Gerdeman said. “We are celebrating our fiftieth anniversary in April. It [the Revolutionary War] was the birth of our country, and people who are interested in genealogy are interested to find out their ancestors did.” Descendents of any of the 12 newly discovered patriots should contact Karen Wery at davekaren83@yahoo.com or Martha Gerdeman at marthagerdeman@att.net or call (615) 446-1760. Breakfast tickets available at the door.

The second battle of Kings Mountain

From Gaston Gazette: The second battle of Kings Mountain In Cleveland County, livermush is a staple, barbecue is nearly sacred and the region has a distinctive history marked by several key Revolutionary War battles fought in the area. Advocates in North and South Carolina are fighting to have a region made up of 58 counties recognized as a national heritage area, specifically focusing on the contributions made by the Carolinas during the American Revolution. The national heritage designation is a way to celebrate, protect and preserve what makes a region unique and can be used as a tool for tourism. Examples of places with a national heritage designation include the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area and Iowa’s Silo and Smokestacks National Heritage Area. A recent National Park Service study was completed, and the counties were told they did not meet the necessary criteria for the designation. In the published results, one reason cited was that there is a lack of distinctive cultural traditions in North and South Carolina from the 18th century that have carried over into today’s everyday life. These distinctive characteristics must be readily apparent to an outside observer. The results sparked so much opposition from Cleveland County residents and local lawmakers that additional time was given for the public to add comments before it will again be reviewed. The time for comments will be closed on Sunday. In one of the final steps toward achieving the designation, the secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior will make a recommendation for or against the designation, and the U.S. Congress will make the final decision. Local historian outraged Marti Mongiello, who operates the Inn of the Patriots in Grover with his wife, Stormy, didn’t grow up in the South, but he is passionate about preserving the region’s unique history and culture. When the opportunity arose to be a part of a process to designate Cleveland County and other Southern counties as a national heritage area, he jumped at the chance. Mongiello is outraged by the study’s conclusion. He said in 2008, when the study was already underway, he was appointed as a delegate for Cleveland County to represent the Chamber of Commerce. “At that time, Cleveland County was not on the initial mapping to be recognized,” Mongiello said. “We actually proved several things about Cleveland County that it should have included.” Mongiello said Cleveland County has led the fight for the designation for both Carolinas. “We have been the most active and have sent the most interesting letters,” he said. Over the course of the study, which took several years, a committee was formed that was representative of the Carolinas. Mongiello said the region being studied passed six of the 10 criteria and failed four. “Criteria two talks about something that is evident to an outsider,” he said. “What they’re trying to say is a person from San Francisco can’t figure out they’re in North Carolina.” Mongiello said he has lived all over the world and has never seen such a concentration of Highland games as what he has seen in the Carolinas. Highland games provide Scottish culture in the forms of athletics, music, dance and demonstrations. “Fried pickles, the barbecue, the livermush. We’re just getting started,” he said. “Brunswick stew, hushpuppies, all from the 1700s, that’s still alive today.” He said Southern streets, towns and even counties have been named after Revolutionary War heroes. Taking the fight to Congress After Feb. 19 when the comments are closed, all the information, comments and materials will be reviewed, and the secretary of the Interior Department will make a recommendation to Congress. Mongiello said he is expecting a negative recommendation, but he doesn’t plan to give up on the designation. “That will be the end, and then we’ll have to take our fight to Congress,” he said. “We’ll take the battle directly to congressmen.” Michael Chrisawn, president of the Cleveland County Chamber of Commerce, urged people to read the study and take time to comment, either online or by mail. “What are mainly needed are comments that would support criterion two: That customs, traditions and influences of the Revolutionary War period can still be found in everyday life in the Carolinas,” Chrisawn wrote in a chamber newsletter. “The other areas that were found to be deficient have been addressed by others in the region. Your input is invaluable, and I urge you to respond as soon as possible.” Chrisawn said that if the area was recognized as a Southern campaign of the Revolutionary War heritage area, it would be another avenue to increase travel and tourism. “Heritage tourism is a big thing with the tourist today,” he said. “They’re going back and looking for their roots, so to speak. People get excited about the Revolutionary War, so they go to these heritage areas where battles took place and see what it was like in the area. It would just be a very, very positive thing for us.” With Cleveland County’s close proximity to the Kings Mountain National Military Park in Blacksburg, S.C., site of the Battle of Kings Mountain in October 1780, Chrisawn said the designation would draw more interest to the area. It could also bring in some additional funding. “It funnels in some federal funds to highlight historical areas,” Chrisawn said. “I’m sure the Kings Mountain battleground would be in line for some additional funding.” Mongiello also worries the results of the study could have a negative impact on the region. He said if the designation is denied, the results of the study would be made final and would be quoted “over the next 100 years.” “It could affect developers and corporations,” he said.

City Council reapproves street theater program

From the Flat Hat: City Council reapproves street theater program
The American Revolution will be expanding into more of Williamsburg with the Williamsburg City Council’s passage of a resolution Thursday to extend the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation’s permit for the street theater program Revolutionary City.

The program, started in 2006, allows the audience to take part in historic re-enactment of the lifestyles and issues of the colonial era.

“Over these last five years the program’s story lines have evolved, technological support has improved and staging has been designed to maximize the impact on the audience,” Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Senior Vice President John Bacon said. “It’s very clear to us from all the research that we do that the way people learn and engage is through interactivity, through participation, through feeling like they are … part of the story, and this program tries to put them in that place.”

Since the program takes place on Duke of Gloucester Street, the road must be blocked off for two and a half hours daily. Bacon was joined by re-enactor Richard Schumann, who advocated for the program’s impact in encouraging audience members to apply civics lessons from the re-nactment.

“This is not regular outdoor theater such as you might see in other places; it’s not so much for the purpose of amusement or entertainment. … The overall message that people walk away from is, ‘No, I should pay more attention,’” Schumann said. “I think Colonial Williamsburg gets that message across to a lot of our visitors, if not all of them, that the future can and must learn from the past.”

The council approved the permit extension, which will allow Revolutionary City to begin again on March 12. Several council members expressed their appreciation for Revolutionary City’s innovative execution and contribution to tourism.

“One of the things I have looked at about tourism is that people … want active participation. They’re not interested in passive ‘looking at things’ anymore; they want to be part of it, and I have not heard one bad thing from anybody about Revolutionary City,” council member Judith Knudson said. “We’ve gotten great publicity from it, so I think this is a well-deserved extension.”

The council also approved a number resolutions dealing with city business and appointments during the meeting. An amendment to the city’s lease agreement with AT&T included provisions for the construction of three new antennae to support AT&T’s 4G technology, which will increase annual rental fees from $29,000 to $37,540. Among the appointments was that of planning commissioner Demetrios Florakis to serve as the commission’s representative to the city Architectural Review Board.

The council adjourned before going into closed session to discuss a legal matter regarding personnel.

William Simpson: local pioneer’s story told in new book

From Carmi Times: William Simpson: local pioneer’s story told in new book Los Angeles, Calif. — A new book has been released about one of southern Illinois' early pioneers, William Simpson.

Simpson's story is now the subject of the book William Simpson: Citizen Soldier, written by Dr. M. Kent Gregory, an assistant professor at the University of Southern California and a leader in the Sons of the American Revolution.

The book tells the story of William Simpson, who as a young man joined the Virginia Militia to serve as a patriot during the Revolutionary War. During his military service, he served under individuals whose names would reverberate in American history: George Washington, Henry Lee II, Thomas Nelson, Baron Von Steuben and the Marquis de Lafayette.

Following the war, William Simpson became part of America's expansion westward. He moved from the tidewater area of the Potomac to southwestern Virginia, then to Tennessee, becoming part of a mass migration of over 200,000 settlers going west. In 1816, he moved his family into the Illinois Territory and homesteaded in the frontier, becoming one of the earliest settlers north of Burnt Prairie.

By the end of William Simpson's life, he was well-known in Wayne and White counties. He was revered as a Revolutionary War veteran, an early pioneer, a church founder, and was acclaimed by his neighbors for his honesty and integrity.

He was friends with Alexander Campbell, an early representative to the Illinois Legislature, and with Judge William Wilson of Carmi, the chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court from 1825 until 1848. His children and descendants became respected citizens throughout the area.

Copies of William Simpson: Citizen Soldier can be purchased from the author, M. Kent Gregory, for $30 (shipping included). The author can be contacted at drkentgregory@earthlink.net.

Payne AME to honor black veterans

From WFC Courier: Payne AME to honor black veterans WATERLOO, Iowa --- Ordinary people doing extraordinary things. That's who, and what, Payne AME Church plans to recognize Saturday with a special tribute to African-American veterans of the U.S. military. "African-Americans have served in every conflict this nation has ever had," said Dorothy Simpson-Taylor, formerly of Waterloo, a Vietnam-era U.S. Air Force veteran and retired University of Iowa psychology faculty member now living in Indianapolis. That dates back to Crispus Attucks, a black dock worker who was the first casualty of the American Revolution, killed in the "Boston Massacre" of 1770. Black Iowans have served in every conflict since the Civil War. "We continue to serve. We serve our communities, We serve our country, and we serve our families," said Simpson-Taylor, a 1962 graduate of East High School. Simpson-Taylor also is a co-organizer of Sister Soldiers, a fledgling organization of black women veterans started in Waterloo a few years ago. A mental health counselor and psychotherapist, she has been involved in a number of activities supporting returning veterans and their families. As is the case with the community at large, multiple members and generations of many black families have served in the military, Simpson-Taylor said. That includes veterans such as Johnnie Berry, who served in the U.S. Army Air Force in the China-Burma-India theater of operations during World War II, and his grandson, Emmanuel Berry, part of the Waterloo-based U.S. Marine Reserve Delta Battery, 1st Battalion, 14th Marines that helped liberate Kuwait during the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Veterans are at or near the heart of many volunteer efforts in the community, Simpson-Taylor said. "People do not see the way they volunteer," she said, and the role the play in caring for one another --- like U.S. Navy veteran Sharina Sallis, who serves on the Waterloo Human Rights Commission and the Black Hawk County Veteran Affairs Commission. "This isn't a service. It's a celebration," Simpson-Taylor said of the Saturday event. "We know where to go to get benefits. We know where to go to get information about what's available. "This is an opportunity to say, 'Let's come together. Let's just be proud of who we are. Let's let our community, our children know.' " The event begins a 11 a.m. at Payne, 1044 Mobile St. A meal is planned, as well as a presentation of colors and a "fallen soldier" ceremony. The East High Junior ROTC is the color guard. U.S. Marine veteran Michael Kates, a historian and executive director of the Fort Des Moines Museum, will speak. Veterans who have displayed exemplary community service will be recognized. Master of ceremonies will Anthony Tisdale of Waterloo. The decorated Vietnam combat veteran is former local chapter and past state commander of Military Order of the Purple Heart. Simpson-Taylor said those who have served in the military in any capacity are invited to participate in Saturday's event. "We have unique experiences because we've been in the military," Simpson-Taylor said. "And that binds us. It creates a sisterhood and a brotherhood." They're there for each other and their com munities. Very often, she said, it's veterans who organize and "give form and function" to community service endeavors. "Let's celebrate the sacrifices we have made and the contributions we continue to make," Simpson-Taylor said. "They're contributing to our society and to our country, contributing to the well being of the Cedar Valley and the state of Iowa. This notion of celebrating veterans is my way of saying, let's bring our community together and let's let our community celebrate one another."

Noted women's historian Susan Klepp speaks during Women's History Month

From Examiner.com: Noted women's historian Susan Klepp speaks during Women's History Month Local students of history and lifelong learners will find opportunity to hone their applied thinking skills at intriguing lectures offered by the David Library of the American Revolution, a specialized research library dedicated to the study of American history circa 1750 to 1800. In a lecture series entitled, “Revolutionary Implications: Social and Cultural Change During the Struggle for American Independence,” noted experts from the tristate and northeast area will speak on topics designed to spark reflection on both history and current times. In observation of Women’s History Month On Sunday, March 4th, 2012, at 3 P.M., Susan Klepp, Professor of Colonial America and American Women’s History at Temple University, speaks on “A Family in Fragments: The Life and Times of Alice, a Bucks County Slave.” March is Women’s History Month, and in observation, Professor Susan Klepp will tell the story of Alice, a slave who ran Dunk’s Ferry on the Delaware River just south of Bristol, Pennsylvania. Building on a short biography of Alice published in 1802, Professor Klepp will put Alice’s life in context, and will examine how Alice’s experiences in slavery and her anti-slavery beliefs inform our knowledge of race and slavery in Early America. History made timely Current events demand historical insights into patterns that can influence personal understanding. The David Library series, designed to explore key moments in the Revolutionary era where seemingly minor developments impacted the future course of the struggle, and the fate of the new nation, holds timely relevance in light of today’s global conflicts. Ideas are opportunities Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes once indicated, “Man’s mind stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions." These lectures bring history into the arena of fresh ideas through exposure and scholarly perspectives. The David Library’s lecture series brings relevant opportunities to inquiring minds, young and old. The David Library emphasizes concentration and convenience to distinguish itself from every other research institution that has materials on the American Revolution. Without sacrificing historical scholarship, The David Library seeks to bring opportunities for historical research and exploration into its local communities. Opportunities for applied learning and analytical thought do abound in the lecture series. And, all are presented within the convenience of the David Library’s location near both Trenton, New Jersey, and Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania. Lecture in Stone Hall followed by reception in the Rose Gallery The David Library lectures are held in Stone Hall of the Feinstone Conference Center on the David Library campus. After each lecture series event, a reception is held in the Rose Gallery. The reception provides for a further time of interaction and the networking of curious minds. Lectures are free to attend, but reservations are necessary The David Library lectures are provided without admission fee and are open to the public. However, it is necessary to make reservations. A reservation to “The Hamiltonian Moment and the Specter of Democracy” can be made by calling 215 493 2233, ext. 100. Full series concludes with talks given by professors from Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Washington, DC. Upcoming topics and presenters include Michael W. Zuckerman, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Pennsylvania, speaking on “Manners and the Making of the American Revolution: Dr. Hamilton’s Itineraries” as well as author Brendan J. McConville, Professor of History at Boston University, speaking on “Anti-Popery and the Fall of Royal America, and David J. Silverman, Professor of History at George Washington University, demonstrating that muskets and rifles went far beyond the military dimension, changing key aspects of Native American society and culture. More information on the entire lecture series can be found online. Location and logistics The David Library of the American Revolution is located at 1201 River Road, Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania. The library is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM. For further information on getting to the library, directions are offered online at the David Library of the American Revolution’s website. Nearby restaurants include the Washington Crossing Inn at 1295 General Washington Memorial Boulevard, Washington PA and Francisco’s Restaurant on the River at 1251 River Road, Washington Crossing, PA. On the New Jersey side, Erini Restaurant at 1140 River Road, Ewing, New Jersey is nearby.

Aiken, SC: Daughters of Revolution to honor area author

From the Aiken Standard: Daughters of Revolution to honor area author A program honoring Women's History Month will be presented by Brenda McCabe at the Houndslake Guest House on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at 10 a.m. The Daughter's of the American Revolution, Henry Middleton Chapter in Aiken, will be honoring Idella Bodie.

Bodie has been writing for young readers for nearly 40 years and writes about historical places in South Carolina.

Her first book, "The Secret of Telfair Inn," published in 1971 by Sandlapper Publishing is still in print and in demand. The Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution honored her for the Heroes and Heroines of the American Revolution series.

Bodie was born in Ridge Spring and holds a degree in English from Columbia College. Bodie has been a contributor to Highlights, Mature Living and to Guideposts Magazine to name just a few. She has been the recipient of many honors and awards to include the honored "Pickens-Salley Southern Women of Distinction" by USC Aiken. South Aiken High School has a writing award in her honor.

Hostesses will be Maureen Quinn, Sandy Harris and Zee Homoki.

The D.A.R. works to perpetuate the memory and spirit of men and women who achieved American Independence and promote the development of an enlightened public opinion and to foster patriotic citizenship.

The Henry Middleton Chapter meets throughout the year and welcomes the public inquiry for membership requirements. For more information, call Judi Romeo at 514-2582.

Rejoicing 175 years: Local black Catholics marking historic anniversary of St. Patrick’s

From the Post and Courier: Rejoicing 175 years: Local black Catholics marking historic anniversary of St. Patrick’s Before the American Revolution, when South Carolina and Eastern Georgia were still Colonies subject to the king and Church of England, Catholics were not much welcomed, and black Catholics were the most unusual of aberrations. “(A)ll Christians which now are, or hereafter may be, in the province (Papists only excepted), shall enjoy the full, free, and undisturbed liberty of their consciences,” states a colonial act of 1696-97. But Catholicism could not be shut out, and a minority of blacks soon embraced it. The history of black Catholicism will be celebrated beginning today at Charleston’s St. Patrick’s Church, which is turning 175. It is marking its anniversary with a special Mass and series of events extending through 2012. The Most Rev. Robert E. Guglielmone, bishop of the Diocese of Charleston, will be principal celebrant at this morning’s Mass. The church building (and its predecessors) will be acknowledged on March 17. A homecoming weekend in June will pay tribute to the 1967 merger of St. Peter’s and St. Patrick’s parishes. An anniversary gala is slated for October. And a final celebration is planned for Dec. 2. The theme “Remember, Renew and Rejoice” sums up the congregation’s intent, said longtime parishioner Joan Mack. What church members likely will discuss is a fascinating combination of cultures and religious practices that produced a unique expression of Catholicism in the Lowcountry. European slave traders introduced their religion to African slave merchants and captives, thus Catholicism trickled into the Lowcountry. A few white planter families, especially those along the Ashepoo River in Colleton County, west of Walterboro, had converted to Catholicism by the late 1700s and early 1800s, influencing the slaves who worked the rice fields, according to Suzanne Krebsbach, author of the 2002 essay “Catholic, Black and Proud.” The presence of Spanish settlers in the Southeast also helped introduce the religion to the region, and it’s likely that black Catholics from parts of the Caribbean came to the Charleston area because of the slave trade, Krebsbach writes. Once revolution resulted in an independent United States, government-sponsored religion, as well as sanctioned religious suppression, mostly came to an end (at least officially). St. James the Greater Catholic Church was built in the Colleton County town of Ritter in 1835, but caught fire in 1856. Eventually, it was rebuilt, and the area’s black Catholics clung to their tradition tenaciously. The area is known as Catholic Hill. When the Civil War came, it changed everything in the South, including Catholicism. Inexorable change On Monday, a handful of members, along with the Rev. Henry N. Kulah, pastor of St. Patrick’s, unfurled a newly minted anniversary banner and contemplated how to mount it to the front of the building on St. Philip Street. The groundskeeper was on hand to make the landscaping trim and neat. A carpet cleaner had just finished his work in the parish hall beneath the sanctuary. Photo Gallery St.Patrick's Catholic Church gallery photo St.Patrick's Catholic Church, at 134 St.Philip St. in downtown Charleston, is celebrating its 175th anniversary. The parish has come a long way from its early days. It was founded in 1837 by a small group of blacks and whites when Catholics living outside the city limits requested a parish toward the Neck Area. They didn’t want to travel downtown to St. Mary’s on Hasell Street, the first Catholic parish of Charleston, established in 1789, or to the Cathedral of St. Finbar on Broad Street (now St. John the Baptist), which opened in 1821, Krebsbach writes in her essay. Bishop John England, the first leader appointed by the Vatican to the fledgling diocese in 1820, was forced to navigate both anti-Catholic prejudice and racial discrimination. When he opened a school for free blacks, it quickly attracted 80 students, writes Krebsbach, but the bishop was forced to shut it down under threat of lynching. That interest in education persisted, however, and years later, in 1904, the diocese opened Immaculate Conception School on Coming Street, a parochial day school for blacks. In 1961, then-Bishop Paul Hallinan announced the diocese’s Catholic schools would be integrated. The parochial school system was instrumental in making and sustaining black Catholics, according to Mack. Non-Catholic students often were admitted, then converted, sometimes bringing their parents and other family members with them into the faith. Predominantly black parishes were beneficiaries of this process, drawing a growing number of worshippers during the course of the 20th century. For most of its existence, St. Patrick’s drew white worshippers. Its sister parish, St. Peter’s on Wentworth Street, was home to the peninsula’s black Catholics. In 1967, under the leadership of Bishop Ernest Unterkoefler, the diocese was restructured. Several smaller parishes were closed. St. Peter’s was merged with St. Patrick’s, and many in its congregation moved up the peninsula to become part of the white church. “The whole membership of St. Peter’s had a place to go,” Mack said. The change at St. Patrick’s in 1967, as legal segregation came to an end in the South, was eerily reminiscent of what happened after the Civil War emancipated the slaves. The infusion of black worshippers drove many whites away, church leaders said. Soon, the diocese’s first black priest, Fr. Egbert Figaro, took the reins of St. Patrick’s. The following year, Immaculate Conception School and Bishop England High School were integrated. Reaching out Today, St. Patrick’s sanctuary fills up with about 250 people on any given Sunday morning, according to Kulah. As many as 80 show up for the Saturday evening Mass. White regulars number 15-20.

If you go All events are at St. Patrick's Church, 134 St. Philip St. Today: Anniversary Mass, 10 a.m., with Bishop Robert Guglielmone. Reception and program to follow. March 17, St. Patrick's Day: Mass and reception, 6 p.m. June 23-24: Homecoming weekend, celebrating 1967 merger of St. Patrick's and St. Peter's, with procession to site of former St. Peter's, 34 Wentworth St. Oct. 19: Anniversary gala, details to follow. Dec. 2: Finale celebration Mass and reception, details to follow. For more information, call 723-6066, email stpat@bellsouth.net or visit catholic-doc.org/stpatrick.

Guglielmone called St. Patrick’s “a vibrant church doing wonderful things.” Because of its proximity to the College of Charleston, it hosts the diocese’s campus ministry, showing “tremendous hospitality,” he said. “It’s certainly a testimony to the black Catholic presence and the diocese’s commitment to supporting that presence,” Guglielmone said. Marcus Cox, a professor of history at The Citadel and co-chairman of the 175th anniversary committee, said he appreciates the sense of family at St. Patrick’s, where members refer to one another as “brother” and “sister.” “One of the things I really love about Father is that he really stresses fellowship,” Cox said. Though the congregation mostly consists of older parishioners, the church is making an effort to reach young people, Mack said. St. Patrick’s has a junior choir, altar servers and junior daughters who assist with services. A health fair, Easter egg hunt and parish picnic attract children and adults alike. Its community outreach, too, is pronounced, Mack said. It includes a Women’s Guild affiliated with the National Council of Catholic Women; support of Our Lady of Mercy Outreach on Johns Island which, in turn, assists migrant workers; and a Christmas basket initiative that provides a full meal to families in need. Music in church is important, often incorporating aspects of the gospel tradition. The Mass is utterly Catholic, Mack and Kulah said, but the singing derives from a long history of black church music. The choir of about 15 is directed by Charlton Singleton, a noted pianist and trumpet player who’s a fixture of the jazz scene in Charleston. “The congregation loves to sing,” Mack said. “And visitors often say they really loved the music.” Clapping is common. “The church encourages its own culture.” And unity in Christ. “It’s a family,” Kulah said, “it’s really just a family.”