Imagine going to your local library and seeing Benjamin Franklin, Sybil Ludington, and Paul Revere.
What I wouldn't have given to be able to attend such a presentation at my local library or in my school when I was a teen!
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| Paul Revere, Sybil Ludington, and Benjamin Franklin |
Of course, back in those days, this sort of thing was almost unheard of, at least in my neck of the woods (southeastern Michigan). History was in books, and, aside from a few awkward TV shows, in books is where history remained.
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| This was the reaction for many of us when a guest speaker would talk to us about history back when I was young in the 1970s. |
Wait---unless there was a special school speaker who was usually a pretty bland and boring guy, maybe with a bowtie, talking to us in a very straight monotoned voice to the extent that the wooden desk top we sat at or the gym floor, upon which we sat cross-legged during what we called a school assembly, looked very comfortable, and soon found many of us with heads down or daydreaming or even lying down on that hard maple-wood floor.
I also seem to remember neighbors who were reenactors that lived down the street from where I used to live while growing up, but I don't remember the era they reenacted (though I believe they portrayed frontiersmen or possibly Voyageurs). Both father and son are gone now, sadly, and I am not currently in touch with anyone that might remember. I recall thinking how cool it was and how it might be something I would like to do. I remember bringing my father down to meet them to see if there might be a speck of interest.
There wasn't.
I think my dad might have thought it was a part of some weird hippie-cult-type commune deal...this was the 1970s, remember. And I don't think my dad was too keen on camping either, so nothing became of it. Now, my dad very much liked history, but he was more of an armchair historian and would read books or watch whatever history that was showing on the tube. He and I were big cowboy movie fans and watched every John Wayne western that aired. But to live the past as reenactors was not something he had any interest in.
I often wonder what he would think of me now, for he has been gone from this world for over 40 years. He died when he was 55 and I was just shy of 21, so he never really got to see very much at all of my adult life; never even had a chance to meet the girl who would become my wife (who I met a only a few months after his death) or see the life we built together.
And especially not me as a reenactor.
Getting back to history:
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| Here I am as Paul Revere~ I do not look like the real Mr. Revere, nor do I claim to; However, actor Jack Black actually has an uncanny resemblance to the man I portray. |
On Groundhog Day, February 2nd, I took part in a Patriots presentation at the Rochester (Michigan) Public Library (pictures courtesy of Chris Brown).
Our Patriot's presentation is where the audience is able to listen to stories by Paul Revere, Sybil Ludington, and Benjamin Franklin that center around the Revolutionary War.
The three of us who portray the three patriots always stick with the same historical figure: me as Paul Revere, Larissa as Sybil Ludington, and Bob as Ben Franklin, and it's in that manner that we are often called by those names at reenactment events, for many people do not know our real 21st century names (which is kind of a hoot sometimes). I think nothing of answering/responding upon hearing someone refer to me - or call out to me - as Paul Revere or Mr. Revere. I only hope I can do the man proud.I usually go on to speak first, beginning with the history of our history - how we put our little group together, how we research the person we portray, and even a bit about the authenticity of our clothing.
One thing, though: I do not look at all like the real Paul Revere.
So why do I portray someone who I do not look like?Well, because he has been my Founding Generation hero since childhood, and I consider it an honor to portray him. And, to be honest, most people have never seen any of the three paintings/etchings of the early Revolutionary War hero. Or if they had, they've never really took much notice.
So I can get away with it, as long as I have the knowledge needed to present as him.
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| Black is a shoe-in as a Paul Revere look-a-like! |
However, if I were to choose an actor to play Revere in a movie on looks alone, my first choice would be Jack Black. So there---now you know.
So I spoke on the famous midnight ride of April 18th, 1775, correcting the myths and adding snippets of little known facts as well.
This night was a somewhat difficult presentation for me personally because just hours before I had found out my best childhood friend, Jimmy Kirkland, had passed away earlier that morning. It hit me pretty hard for we still kept in contact with each other and often spoke of either the old days or of the state of current politics (we nearly always agreed on the current state of the country today). So, yeah, this was quite upsetting to me and it made it more difficult for me to concentrate on being Paul Revere. I didn't do a bad presentation or anything - I am just a bit more upbeat during my speech.
Selfish note to friends: don't die just before Ken has a presentation to do.
Following my story was Sybil Ludington.
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| Larissa as Sybil Ludington~ Sybil was 17 when she made her own warning ride, so Larissa tells the story as an older Sybil reminiscing about that night in 1777. |
Sybil, as you may or mayn't know (how's that for using an 18th century contraction?), had a harrowing warning ride of her own:
'twas on a stormy evening in April 1777, this young girl volunteered to warn of an attack from the British Regulars in Danbury, Connecticut. A messenger was dispatched from Danbury to Col. Ludington, Sybil's father, with the news of an imminent attack on the city, and he reached the Ludington home at approximately 9 PM. Col. Ludington began to organize the militia, but the men were scattered throughout the area in their homes, and it was well into the night. The messenger was exhausted and not familiar with the area and would not be able to find all of the militia volunteers. Sybil Ludington was very familiar with the area and left, instead, to sound the alert. It is unclear whether she volunteered for the task or whether she was asked to do it by her father. Some accounts indicate that Col. Ludington had planned the route Sybil would take.
Sybil left for her ride at approximately 9 PM into the rainy night, traveling 40 miles from her home in what is now the town of Kent, south to Mahopac, and north to Stormville, before returning home near dawn the next day. Sybil not only had to avoid British soldiers in the area, but also British loyalists and "Skinners", who were outlaws with no allegiance to either side in the War. Some accounts indicate that a church bell was rung in Carmel after she gave the alarm, and that a man offered to accompany her on the rest of her ride. These accounts claim that she declined his offer, but instead dispatched him eastward to sound the alarm in Brewster.
And after such a ride, she made it back to her house, safely, her job accomplished.
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| I'm told this is a miniature of Sybil Ludington. I'm not sure how true it is but I do hope so. |
A young American patriot, Sybil Ludington has been called the female counterpart to the more famous Paul Revere. The ride was similar to those performed by Revere and Revere's partner, William Dawes, though Ludington rode more than twice the distance of Revere and was much younger than the two more famous men. Her father wrote: "There is no extravagance in comparing her ride with that of Paul Revere and its midnight message." In other words, their rides were completely different under different circumstances, so comparing the two is fruitless.
It's been said the story of Sybil Ludington isn't true, that it is all a myth because America is always looking for heroes. Some say it is partially true, though it has been embellished quite a bit. And others swear to it being fact. As Larissa says during her presentation, there is plenty of information available about this young lady, so please research to make your own decision.
Me?
When one goes beyond the frosting and dives deep into the cake (how do you like that analogy?), the information on her ride is there, so, therefore, I believe it to be true but may have been embellished slightly.
By the way, there are statues of Sybil and there were US postal stamps in her honor as well, but her looks are based solely on the artist's interpretation, for there are no known paintings or sketches of the young lady.
Or so I thought.
I was told that the sketch/painting of the young lady on the above right here is of Ms. Ludington. I have no positive proof, but, for now, I suppose we can go with it.
However, what you see below here is her actual tombstone:
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| Her name spelled slightly differently than what we normally see. |
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| I don't see it...lol actually, it's pretty uncanny! |
First off, as we've just done with Paul Revere and Sybil Ludington interpreters, let's compare looks. It's obvious to me that Bob, here, looks quite a bit like his 18th century counterpart.
I mean, eerily so.
And the fact that most of his spare time is studying virtually everything available on this Founding Father allows the audience to feel as if they are truly in the company of Franklin himself! Yes, Larissa and I try to do the same, but Bob really does have the 'look' going for him that really accents his presentation.
The other thing is, Larissa and I do not solely do our 18th century counterparts, for we also portray 18th century (and sometimes 19th century) farmers, meaning we have a more diverse means of presenting ourselves and history.
Since Bob researches this Founding father intently, there are a myriad of Franklin subjects he can speak on.
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| Woodrow Wilson Okay...just kidding: Benjamin Franklin~ Now Bob really and truly does look like Benjamin Franklin, as you can plainly see, and visitors to reenactments have no qualms about who this man is, and they always address him as Ben Franklin, Dr. Franklin, or Mr. Franklin. And Franklin is all Bob portrays, whereas Larissa and I, more often than not during reenactments, also present ourselves as colonial farmers. |
At this event, Franklin, in a daring subject, took on the topic of slavery in the 18th century.
It was very interesting in the manner it was approached, for Franklin himself, as a young man, owned slaves, and he carried advertisements for the sale of slaves in his newspaper, the Pennsylvania Gazette.
But the good Dr. also mentioned that we must look at the times and the environment in which he lived.
No, he was not making excuses by any means here, either as Ben Franklin or as Franklin's 21st century counter-part. In fact, because later in life Franklin became an abolitionist, he was very much against it; it was in 1787 that he began to serve as President of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery.
Like many citizens of his time in the early part of the 18th century, Benjamin Franklin owned slaves and viewed them as inferior to white Europeans, as it was believed they could not be educated. As mentioned, his newspaper, the Pennsylvania Gazette, advertised the sale of slaves, and though he published notices of runaways, he also published antislavery ads from Quakers.
However, after 1758 Franklin gradually began to change his mind when his friend, Samuel Johnson, brought him to one of Dr. Bray’s schools for black children. Dr. Bray Associates was a philanthropic association affiliated to the Church of England, based in London, and were to convert and educate colonial blacks. In 1759 Franklin joined the association by donating money.
As president of the Philadelphia Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage, Franklin often referred to the Abolition Society, formed by a group of abolitionist Quakers in 1774. The Abolition Society was the first in America and served as inspiration for the formation of abolitionist societies in other colonies. The group focused not only in abolishing slavery but also in education, moral instruction and employment.
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| A brave society in the 18th century. |
In Address to the Public, a letter dated November 9th, 1789, Franklin wrote wholeheartedly against the institution of slavery. He argued that slaves have long been treated as brute animals beneath the standard of human species. Franklin asked for resources and donations to help freed slaves adjust to society by giving them a good education, moral instruction, and, of course, employment.
Franklin petitioned Congress to provide the means to bring slavery to an end. When the petition was introduced to the House and the Senate it was immediately rejected by pro-slavery congressmen, mostly from the southern states.
Some people today are filled with hatred for Franklin and others of his time because of being slave-owners. But he was just that - a man of his time. And toward the end of his life he somewhat became a man of our time in a way, for his opinions and thoughts made a radical change, for which I believe he should be congratulated.
Especially with him being a man of that time.
And that's how our Patriots Presentation went on this cold February day. Afterward, a number of people in the audience came up to meet and greet and some even taking photos with us. It is always such an honor when this happens, for it tells us we did our job. I have high hopes the number of presentation events will increase, either for this type of presentation or for the one Larissa and I do about 18th century farming.
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| For our farming presentation, Larissa & I bring the land with us! Okay...so that's not true, but we do bring along plenty of accessories to accent the journey to the past. |
And so, as the evening's commemoration wound down, each of us went our separate ways. As we did this, a light snow began to fall...
Until next time, see you in time.
Thank you to Chris Brown for taking the presentation photos!
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