Transcripts For CSPAN2 George 20240706

Stephenson, president and ceo of the museum of the American Revolution speaking tonight, this talk is entitled among his troops , chords of memory. Scotts broad public history spans nearly 3 decades and has been marked by professional and public acclaim for his creator in the audiences. He developed and elaborated on exhibits, films and interpretive programs were numerous historical sites. Including colonial williamsburg, thesmithsonian , National Park Service George washingtons not vernon, pines History Center and museum of the cherokee indian. From 2007 the team hestopped lebanon of the museum resolutions were both media experiences and mieducational programming as well as overseeing the care and expansion of its rich collection of artifacts. He served as president andceo of the American Revolution. Tonight you will hear from scott about the history and significance of George Washingtons mobile field headquarters that sheltered their first commanderinchief during the revolutionary war again please tomorrow at the old mill see the replica Educational Programs in place. The original tenant now display at the American Revolution rich and try like erfollowing the death of george and Martha Washington with a remarkable cast of characters from robert e lee to a priest with a crazy idea and with that lies in mind im going to turn it over to stop so you can hear the rest ofthe story. You again to the museum and your staff and board for making this happen and thank you to all of you for coming to ofa. [applause] they put this wire over my ear. If i speak like this can you hear me . So id love to start with a show of hands. How many of you visited the museum of the American Revolution already . The rest of you will be tied together for therest of the evening. I know a few of you walked by and i told you to come i hope you came. Excellent. Im going to go on what may seem a rambling journey. Tie all the threads together and ill start by introducing you to historic philadelphias independent historical park and you think of as a big al. This is usually the University Campus of americas founding and its an incredible placeto visit. You have small white in the center,the liberty bell across the street. Benjamin franklins old with the connection to the nantucket. Nantucket works . Christchurch, second street. National constitution. The first bank of the United States, youll see a better picture of that in a moment and anchoring the eastern flank of Independence Historical park, the newest institution in philadelphia the theme of the American Revolution. We celebrated our fifth anniversary so we are really just a popular and you all have been through this ongoing pandemic but we still have 1 million visitors to the Museum Opening in 2017 so its great momentum. Heres our robt ern designed building. We like to have in the corner independence all and if you climb up to that terrace you can see the windows on the utright. Walk onto that terrace you get a beautiful view of the first bank of the united sta. This is the first federally funded building of the constitution completed in 1797 undergoing an extensive reon right now but was owned by the National Parks service during an external shoring up of thebu. And you have an exhibition inside he origin of americas Financial System and the role that are most famous secretary of the treasury, alexander hamilton. Not nearly as impressed important as his predecessor who is a defendant in the front audience so youll excuse me. If you stand on that terrace and you look down ur transported aboua ntury and a cornerback. This is a view you would have seen and can you see the facade of the first bank peekinout there often are the building on our side as close to you as e viewer, that Tall Building was, this is part of the Publishing Industry in philadelphia. The saturday evening post, a lot of the 19th century roots of publishing was found in this neighborhood as was course new york and the erie canal with its banking in the american republic. Some of you with a philadelphia action may remember the old evening bulletin. In 1906, in early august the article published in the philadelphia evening olefin was an interview with mary conslee, the daughter of confederate general robert and e headline was neral re lees daughter used by wash to a confederate home was raised 10,000 i want to take you back now, were going to come back to this moment but this is in a sense the moment of the founding of what became the museum of the american amrevolution in the 20th century but weregoing to zoom all the way back to 1775. For those of you locals in the great commonwealth of massachusetts you willnow depending on whether you live in lexington. Fighting takes place on this hill and about 20,000 new england troops bottle up the british in boston and the rest of the colonies who had come together just across the street from where the museum is for the First Continental Congress , they sent a protest to england, protesting the coercive acts e of the closing of boston sports they come back together right previous appointment in may 1775 in philadelphia and the yankees started shooting war it was not clear what was going to happen, with the middle and southern states, what future states or colonies design this was their common cause or will they disown these hotheaded yankees pipe shooting the british but we all know the decision they made within the first two weeks of june that this was the common cause of america 20 point commanderinchief to take command of the Continental Army with the addition of 10 companies of expert riflemen in pennsylvania maryland and virginia. They appointed a virginian this is the virginian you all know. Hes given his commission in philadelphia continental congressamazingly document will survive in the National Arches was presented to him and he carries it in his pocket as he has north to take command of this new england artie has been circling washington. There were concerns of course because these were keen students, something we wish all our countrymen were as keen duties of history as their reading of history hold down these kinds of colonial rebellions, these armed interactions often lead to the creation of dictatorships. Generals would refuse to disband, generals would take power for themselves so as washington is marching north east approaching new york and the new york provincial council sentence him a congratulatory letter but also one that asks the question and says basically we place this great power and authority in your hands as commanderinchief but when we make up these differences with the British Parliament and this is not a fight for independence yet, its a fight to restore english liberties they say you will rggo back to virginia,wont you . Washington writes an incredible letter back with the line when he says we took the soldier we did not lay aside this is an. The founder of this citizen soldier tradition. So dear to us as americans this was cause that he had to teach to all these men who were servingndhis is a theme i would come back to numerous times. Heres a map of british occupied boston you can see the line and parallelograms and outlines of the entrenchment of support that had built ringing boston. He arrives july 30, 1775 to take command of the army. There isenter amended by general washington himself , occupying the building with Harvard Square and isestablishes this area as his headquarters. One of the things that happens is as is the case in the beginning of every war we assume its going to be over quickly. We know all the civilians in washington dc who rode their carriages out to watch the battle and then were of course first of all horrified and the general had to confront the reality that this would be a protracted conflict. Washington had written to philadelphia not knowing about lexington and concorde so he packed his bags arrived in california. But did bring a uniform along. Kethis was to indicate his willingness is necessary to take up a leadership position , basically advertising is availability should the job, but he did not have his camping equipment and one of the only i think three letters that have survived being washington and Martha Washington because this is in a period when the spouse died it was customary for the widower to burn the correspondenceand martha destroyed all the letters from george gewashington. One of them survived in a desk that belonged to a or at the tutor place in georgetown. And its the letter washington wrote to her telling her he was not going to be coming home to a healthy going to take command of the army. What i love about it because many from the audience have done this. You have to send an apology as well so the was how he had found a beautiful piece of silk he had purchased in the shop and it was sending it tomorrow with ous waves her disappointment. So washington and the summer of 1775 trying to organize the defenses through the winter there trying to figure out how theyre going to protect the british from boston and he realizes it will have to take the field that season. So here he is in thatuniform that he wore. He decides to send his add camp, a philadelphia and named joseph reed back to philadelphia cause this was the best and largest city in british north america. A place that have produced goods in a place where imported goods have not been prevented by the british navy and a fabulous quote with the theme of the evening, he sends a note in october 1775 back to philadelphia and says i need you to get together all i can equipment. These are all the things hes takes to the field the following year and writes the beginning of march to ask how its going this is a quote from that letter. He says i cannot take the field without equipment and after i had once got into a tent i shall not soon quit. He did not know this was going to be an eight year conflict. With the exception of these two visits after yorktown in mount vernon it remained a tented field for the entire period. What we know because of the surviving records is that washington had camps made just two blocks from where the museum is located on chestnut street. There was a man by the name of pocket field who had a shop there edwith the original receipt had survived. He purchased two main taps, one of those a sleeping and office camp, thats the original tent on display and the replica you seen on the mill. It was also slightly larger tent. Its like the top image here was a large ovalshaped tent with an open room on the outside for dinners,meetings. Those met washington in new york during the 1776 campaign and this along with the baggage tent and the tent of his commanderinchiefs guard, his predecessors of the secret service and security detail, that was washingtons mobile field headquarters during the revolutionary war and thats acting as his only ride that space. Think about the images you seen other commanderinchiefs. You all know the photograph of john f. Kennedy during the cuban whistle crisis where hes standing in the file at the resolute desk with his glow. Another picture of george w. Bush after 9 11 again sitting at that resolute desk thinking about what that oval office means to commanderinchief. Its not too much of a stretch to think about this tent as the first ovaloffice. Thats where the most crucial elements of the war take place. It mattered not just to him to have a place that more importantly it mattered to the men he wasleading. So this was an image done by the great illustratorhoward cpyle. Showing washington and his tent and what you see early on is washington consciously trying to create a model for what the general in a republic would be like. Not a monarchy. He does not go his commission to a proper but rather the people who have given him this authority what does it mean to be a republican generally . People begin to know the significance of him remaining in the field even during the winter, during inclement weather time anywhere near the army for months and months. Heres a quote from george we can from middlebrook in new jersey. This is the spring of 1777. Our good old general also spreads his tent and lives amongst us. Those tents that washington received in 1776 he uses all the way through the year. They remain in the field late into the fall. The following year 1977 the british concept to take philadelphia so the Philadelphia Campaign and that campaign stretches far into the fall and it was a practice of knowing the Winter Quarters because the grass at your animal eats which is your transportation of course dies so its hard to stay in the field and continue fighting through the late fall but in 1777 washington doesnt march into valley forge until december 19 and this of cour ige that you all know very well, its impossible to find a book about the revolutionary war doesnt have an image. This is a painting in our collection by a philadelphia and called the march to valley forge and thesare washingtons orders s to his army two days before they marched into valley forge and he says he himself must share haship and partake of every inconvenie promising his army im not staying in a cushy hotel, im gointo stay on the campus in washington stays in that camp till january of 1777 weight waiting for the man who built valley forge before he goes in and takes it himself so this is something that again starts to now catch the attention of people because no one is more fascinated by whats going on in america and whats going to go on and the french. And this is really important. We like that declaration of independence not so much for the second paragraph and the idea of equality. Thats the charter about the principles it can be founded on but its primarily a diplomatic document and most importantly the french. They are paying attention and i love this image. This is the first engraved image done in france in 1980. Its inspired by a portrait by charles kiel but the french artist as expanded them and look at how much symbolism just from what ive talked about already. In his tent in the field theres an encampment off in al the distance. Hes got all his camp equipment and hes holding in his hand a sheaf of papers that includes the declaration of independence and treaty between france and the United States and hes standing on peshredded papers that are all conciliatory on builds from parliament, offers of pardons from the king. So this is absolutely a propaganda piece as much as anything but the title of this is translatesasically as general washington does not present a threat to the republic. And everyone in france is fascinated, what is this guy going to do. Is he going to become the new king george of america or Something Else . John trumbull from connecticut who had served as a to camp to washington painted this portrait on the right about the same time, 1780. He traveled to england during the war but one of the important things to note if you see in the background theres certainly in dialogue with one another is the inclusion of the figure who represents william leads who is washingtons enslaved valet. Waington purchased william and his younger brother frank in 1768 and they serve in the household in mount Vernon William lee has washingtons valet through the entire revolutionary war. Lived in that camp wi washington and the other other inbints of washingtons tent and hes so worn out by his service, had such falls from horses that he was basically crippled by the revolutionary war. Now you want to talk a little bit about symbols and the republic in general. On the left you see rolled up the original written, see that over washingtons shoulder . When washington goes to new england, one of the first frustrations is that nobody knows who he is that theyre supposed to pay some kind of deference to him. The new englanders very democratic and many of these officers over their positions to being voted in by their man and its one of the things an n aristocratic summoner sees is youll see the kernel of a new england regiment t shaving his own men orplaying cards with them. Washington wants to pose more of a traditional military discipline, thinking the professional is going to be put so he adopts a system of colored ribbons, these are literally wide silk ribbons with a beautiful you see it on the lefthand side. Almost like a watermark made by crunching these engraved s steel plates and its a form thats very recognizable in europeans at the time. So this original written as survived because he later gives it to Charles Wilson peel a painter who had more life savings for washington than any othernopainter in the period. Heres another full painting from 1779. Washington at the battle of princeton. Another george here on the left, king george also painted the same year in 1775 with a full array of military might behind him. This is to georges trying to be peacocks and show themselves off but you can see how somebody whos really out what this george of virginia is thinking about the future is he addressing the king with that ribbon . He saw french officers note by about 1779 washington leave that ribbon aside and there are portraits that appealed to him cause he becomes basically shot at producing these paintings because everyonewants a portrait of George Washington. They originally had the written and paintedover it. You can see over the centuries a little bit of a adow so hes very consciously like an even plainer dress. This is a wonderful portrait. Its sad psent at Harvard University when it was d donated and it had the tradition it could never be outside of think thought so will never be able t to get it as many of you know. But theres all the things ive been talking about. Theres liwashington, the republican general in the tented field in front of a marquee tent. For those of you who came up to see the replica tent and some oare asking about the furnishings you can see hithe holding table behind him and its based on the design of that replica table and again very pla uniform. Its not got a ribbon on their. This would have been general George Washington in the tented field. Now, washingtons perhaps greatest moment as the commander and there were two moments people felt washington as a great general, one was Washington Crossing the delaware at trenton. The other one of course was the victory at yorktown which was really a partnership with rochambeau, and he is wearing his red ribbon a little bit later in the19th century. The French Forces had come as a result of that line and were partnered with s gton in the siege of yorktown. There you are one of my favorite details in this philadelphia map of the campaign by ewitness. You see washingtons quarters and rochambeuarters but during this long siege at yorktown that lots of people are ting again about washington who places himself in harms way and living his troops. 50 years later he got a great quote from a virginian just a second year, i got a painting of washington and rochambeau at yorktown. This is 1832, 15 years later and a virginian francis cole is applying to get a pension as a revolutionary war soldier called he had the pleasure of seeing general washington every morning in his tent that was very near his tent. Another was in 1850, still recalling that he conversed with general washington in his tent so imagine that against that a soldier would make such an impression that they saw washington living with them. Thats the background of the second part which is dell explaining this New York Times story. All the images ive shown you so far, none of those are eyewitness images of George Washington. Probably the closest one would be that Charles Wilson peel because wilson certainly saw washington out in the field but we never had an image when he opened the field and it was like somebodys at George Washingtons tentand as so often happens , something pops out of the unexpected. Two weeks after we open the museum we get a email from an online account at texas alerting us there was some revolutionary war objects that we might see coming up. I was so exhausted from opening the museum i have to confess i did not click on that link. But fortunately our chief historian told me whats obsessive about looking at those auctions so at 11 00 he sends me a link that says did yousee this . . This is the descriion ptof this lot and s a little as youll see in a minute s unfortunately for us it was not catalog so most people in dissent but it described a i panoramic watercolor with a group of six watercolors on paper of seven feet long. That purported to show the battle of stony point. Although curiously tre was a label that described it as plank wh and let me show you where those are at the moment. He described a little bit about the promenade so if you clicked on that link, this is what would show up on your computer screen. Frankly all of you are thinking this is not very interesting. You had to dig in to the theme and the first we started looking closely you can click and bring up, click on the lefthand sideof the watercolor, this oupopped up. And my heart just about stopped because what youre seeing, theres a tent on the very top and a whole group of tenseslightly down the hill. Most of the tents if you remember that image i showed you with the two different types of tense and one of them had the m entrance and one of them had the side entrance, 90 percent of the tents you see have been that and entrance. George washingtons 10th had the side entrance. You see that detail, its like a little shade in front of it. You can see the indicator that this thing looks an awful lot like George Washington with the tent andi remembered a quote , a french officer who was present at this spot at the end of the revolutionary war, this is a journal he writes about noticing a little hill which looked over the camp and the tents which i recognized easily the quarters of general washington. So lets locate you where were talking about space. This is the map showing the washington rochambeau so in 1781 the french army is around Newport Rhode island. Most of Washingtons Army is in hudson harlem so that is this area right here. They steal a march partly by land, partly by see and block up cornwalliss army. Heres an image showing you the area of the hudson. This spot were looking at is 60 miles north of new york city and its the first spot where the hudson river darts to narrow and gets into a hilly country. This was the important crossing point called keynes ferry so if youre in new england, new york and the middle colonies the only way you have to send troops back to fourth and fourth is occupied by the british is using the fairies that are through this area. Any of you know Bear Mountain , thats all rights in this area here. This area is one of the most militarized zones in america during the revolutionary war in terms of permissions and the dedication of troops. On the west bank the Fort Montgomery and clinton were built, peaks skill new york was a place where there were Continental Army scores attacked by the british in 17 7079. Trying to link up with the napoleon expedition. The light becomes a very important depot and military post but below stony point is a place where the british sees and american troops under , Anthony Wayne capture in 1779 and on the east side thats going to be the most important spot for the next couple of minutes is the point of land that sticks out and that is the place where kings ferry is located. Very strategic, americans want to control this and later on in the Windsor Newburgh area thats where the Continental Army met the end of the war. What were trying to figure out, we have this watercolor with about two weeks to figure out is that really George Washingtons tent . This is when they help us acquire this piece. Im summarizing about two weeks of research but it was a lot of hours. The first thing we found and this was in harvard was that washingtons papers and his biographer jared sparks had been given access to washingtons papers by the family in the early 19th century but he borrowed them all and didnt give most of them back so they ended up scattered in all kinds of f places but this is an extraordinary map dated september 1782. It is of the planks flight and were going to zoom in and show you some arrowsere. So theres a couple of important points o and im going to show you a painting d match this up. What youre seeing is a little hilltop with a triangle on it and read little triangles below elit, youve got little hill with a fork on it to the left along the bank of the riv. Youve got these long rectangles with little letter mber combinations and what youre seeing is to jay, thats the second new jersey read regiment. You can see a line of encampments there along the point. And then you see that dotted line, thats a w ming along the river leading up to that hill. And the other important document is one of my first portraits of George Washington i dont think it looked most like him but it was painted by John Trumbull as a personal gift to Martha Washington in 1790 and John Trumbull had visited, he was present and notes in his correspondence he took sketches and careful measurements and really paid attention to the layout of this camp. This is a painting that he gave to Martha Washington that dissented with her and her family until henry dupont bought it for the winter in the 1960s so it sold and wasnt well known until really our lifetime but often off in the distance you have washington with his charger up on the hill but take a look behind what youre seeing here. You see a little hill off in the distance with a fort on it. You can see a line of encampments and tents along their and it would be difficult for you to see but theres an direction in the white tents and a structure that sticks up. I will talk about that ina second. Then what youre seeing are twolines of american troops, this area showing you clearly a pair of slacks. One is the stars and stripes so those are american regiments lined up with their flags in the center and the french army is marching between them cost this was the reunification of the french soldiers who had been cornwallis yorktown and stayed in virginia in 81 and 82 and remember, the british still occupy new york. The french were marching back to boston to go to the west and i have never figured out, maybe adam knows but i dont why they didnt pick them up in virginia but anyway they had to walk all the way to boston and theyre going to cross the hudson river. Its very significant for washington because we dont think the war is over when cornwallis surrenders. There are two more years and it was very uncertain. George iii would not prepared to give up his nth american kingdom so washington had to show the french the Continental Army were ready to stay in the fight. This was the moment when the Continental Army was the best dressed, the best drill, the best uniformed ever were because it was a diplomatic show and what youre seeing is the moment of that army passing in review to be reunited with the Continental Army. Another man who was actually an englishman named George Reeves was buried roshambos army and in his diary that in distinct even to the attempts of the general officers which were prominent to that of general washington which were starting to feel a lot more confident looking at genel shingtons camp. He goes on to say weve seen all the camps in england. But many of them, drawings and engravings have been taken but this was a subject worthy of the first art because he had no idea John Trumbull was there and whoever the artist is, what fhes thinking of is this tradition of drying these large military camps. This is during the 1740s in scotland. But probably what hes thinking about in 1782 is just recently there have been large encampments in st. James park in london and his brother calls him, they had done these watercolor images any of which were engraved. So this is something that is clearly in the mind of george dureeves and presumably whoever is producing this great big watercolor so when you dig into the details and you click in looking at it as fortunately not many other people did you see this incredible detail. You see how similar that line looks to what was in the back of trumbulls painting and even in the center you se theres this line of tents in the center. Some sort of raised structure in the middle. These two artists are describing the same thing. Then we went to the diaries and journals and hear a french officer whose writing describing the color line of the American Camp bordered by a beautiful art decorated with coats of arms very well executed. Representatives of different regiments. This is the rhode Island Soldier who talks about encampments in a single line with eloquence balance and whats a balance . The civil war is the surest sign but its creating a structure of saplings and granto provide shade remember this is late summer, and of august. It was probably, thats what you want is she. Whats fascinating is if you look through the orders there here from the end of august to the beginning of october. Many of you throw it out back and you notice that after about a week those leaves have all with her a and dried. We can have after theyve constructed labor washington darts getting orders saying for the love of god make sure the soldiers do not have any open flame or were going to have a big roman candle experienced in all the tents of the army will burn up. I love when theres moments you can put in your personal experience to study the history thats how they were able to figure out what youre seeing and its not just lines of white tents but there was this range green haze going over them. And then theres this description of these designs. Most of them were just these nondescript high places, they looked like boxes and in one case you were able to make out a distinct shape. Would anybody venture toguess what that shape is an anchor. And the anchor is the symbol of the state which is . Rhode island. That central officer whose quote i read , this is drawing he d in his diary of one of those rhode island regiment soldiers. This is the regiment that had large numbers of American Indians and mixed race men and sevel companies in 1781 so thats an eyewitness and they have that anchor on eir buttons as well. There it is on the arbor that there representing themselves in the encampment. This is not as weird as it sounds because thiis practice that continues. Heres the 50th new york engineers during the civil war with similar greenery ercises. T you can do arts and crafts. Theres also this image that helps us to understand descriptions that didnt make a lot of sense. For instance ill rind you this is the little cluster of tents below what we are presuming is washingtons 10th and theres three rmarquee tents, you can see the vertical lines and the roots and then the two on the left little shades, and then this wonderful like triple arch veranda thats sticking out from the largest tent in the background which i presume to be washingtons dining tent. It helped to explain its quote, the french officer who was nobleman along with the army who talked about a day when the french and british army were exercising for one another they talked about entertainment and a dinner of 90 covers served with true military magnificence in the praetori of the fcouncil other than saying in the tent of the general. So this is actually a onetoone reiteration of washington dining there. It was a stitced i copy of washingtons Dining Center and you can see for scali cant imagine how 90 people could possibly be seated under that campus but if you think about that really that extension, theres probably the answer to how this officer wasnt exaggerating at the number of guests. The clock is ticking while were figuring this stuff out convincing ourselves. One other piece of art that cinched the deal for us was realizing it was related to another watercolor and the one on the bottom here had been in the collection of the library of Congress Since the 1920s. And what youre seeing is looking from the east bank of the hudson across the future site of the military academy at west point. Its a little bit more finished, a little bit more color than the. 1 but its also made byjoining sheets of paper together , careful and an ink and watercolorwork. And think back to those images i showed you from scotland to england. This is very much in that ve showing you these little and yes. Some details are so good it allowed us to precisely te within a month of when this was done. You see this on the left you osee this officer whose indicating d inting with a cane and then a soldier with h as at attention next to him. And if y lk at his shoulder and u ke out the chevron upside down b on his sleeve . From august 1782washington issued an order for veteran continental soldiers who had served at least three years in the war. They were entitled to what he called the badge of merit so this is a chevron and were able to wear as a badge of their veteran status so we knew that even though the library of congress had dated this to 1778 they thought this data was beginning to fortify. This was done at the same time as that encampment in 1782. That west point watercolor have been donated with a group of papers from another french officer hepierre Charles Lenfant you know weve heard of lenfant terrible in washington dc. He came over as a young man, sort of an engineer in the Continental Army , part of the group that sounded the society of cincinnati and the design badge of the society and certificate. The course was famous for designing the streetlight for washington dc. But he fell and the hard times he did not receive as many of these veterans of the revolution officers , they can receive like pensions, often were owed a period of lenfant to receive money for the work he did so he was impoverished and became a permanent houseguest. Anybody have any of those in their family of this man, Thomas Atwood dates that lived across theriver from mount vernon. And so in 18 20s, hes living with a big family and thomas days passes this way 1821. He goes to his nephew William Dudley days. This is where lenfant ultimately dies and is buried on William Dudley days estate di and a lot of his papers than stay with the family. So the grandson of William Dudley days a man named james dudley morning died in 1919 and he became as a child is raised by his grandfather. He has these stories about lenfant, this eccentric frenchman wizard with George Washington are interested in animated by this story and also these papers together and we donate that watercolor and his papers. He also arranges for his body to the dissenter to arlington cemetery. You see him married in 1999 or ironically the senior the 10th comes into the possession of our organization the house you see in the background, that is the home of arlington as well and we are disbarred from the tomb of the unknown soldier. But this was all important, it seems like a distraction but at the very bottom of that auction reco was this notice here. Its a panoramic watercolor of thomas days of maryland. That showed us in fact this came from the same batch of family papers at this other batch of lenfant material so we convince ourselves in these two weeks 14 days that this was George Washingtons tent for planks point and it was fine here Charles Lenfant related to this west point watercolor and therefore we have got to get this. So the next challenge is you have to pick up the phone and call people and try beto figure out what is this thing in print and surely other people are going to figure this out how important this object is so bill and laura, we might have called you. You were calling friends of the museums and will you help eus if we are successful in this. I actually have an actual photograph of myself moment that was sent sent i was floating in a hot spring in iceland. At the precise m we had to hike three miles out until we got back to seltzer and then i got the text that our chief historian said we got it. Then i said how much there were only two bids. The hammer was like 12,500 for just an incredible piece ithat surely is missing its heroes. I talked to him couple of student significant archives and no one got past that first image of seeing this watercolor delved into the story so here is when arrives. Built in 19 look at this is the New York Times for their little while extending their measures he said did i mention theres the writing on the back ofthe watercolor . And so there thats a little hard to make out what c is planks point can. It was remarkable is is the same in here lenfant we were able nail it down, it will. These are then, a little exhibition interested in a position all along the and were hoping to bring some of the story in exhibition duties84 4 so why is this matter . Is our ncfrench officer weekend reading books from royalty pot. And he writes this letter about washington asked for planks point this is all the way back to that first letter of new york provincial council. The soldr who did not lay aside his roommate feel washington was on the point of taking house keys into all when he decided to set to his soldiers moving in then he es on to say hes a lot more that even foreigners we see this extraordinary man resists with admiration and respect. That spot washington text, this highest number of american soldiers, many of whom been in the field three, five or seven years at this the first thing they see when they call the sense that those are all facing the is general washington advance. Its the last thing they see at a over their shoulder falling in their contents in the evening. And that power that comes from remaining in the field gives washington the ability to be one of the first great challenges he faces highest the dangerous and the revolution of the malacca army. These are two images i like to juxtapose dizziness in 1860 and 1855. That is half the time George Washington remains in the tentative feel that even though these are artists workers can see the transformation of the physical took in his face of running in the field. Look at those eyes, this is a washington for this Joseph Wright in november 1783 is the very last positive or in new jersey which was a lucky villager in march 1783 Army Officers in new york came together, they were dissatisfied with how congress was the hat they had not been provided for. And measure their lives and fortunes they had no 800 half after the war they were playing things like maybe we will just march to the west and let the race in new york march did you. Maybe we will march. Maybe we will make washington f a chain of some sort. Because his ideas are very dangerous ideas that have washington on the really this bullying is what military men should be about relative to tcivilian control of military thats when he gets here sees in the original in his hand survive. I had the pleasure years ago sitting with david on as long as you address and how it was absolutely in will and washington also asked these and said he had received a letter from Congress Addressing some of their concerns. They pair of spectacles out of their pocket and it may have been the greatest piece of theater in American History and the says one of those men, you can see his eyesight. He says ive never left your side one moment but we call on your phone e call of duty because it companion and witness of your discusses and then he goes on and says that old line in the service of my country and to date that men have charged all sat there and went as he to save the republic from this terrible danger you all know the story after he said that portrait in new jersey he is to bolus niwhy is congress and less . Not because its nice in all but because he is considered so dangerous. There are soldiers marching around with bayonets saying want to see our congress when and so congress to be super has moved down to dallas and this is thinking john told us of washington returning same commission to congress which is of course that george iii famously asked benjamin asked the major what will washington d to the end of the bwar . Go back to his his army and that the greatest man in history. He is washington has put in storage right near the Mansion House you see is the next generation of his journey in the far right hand side the African American figure is believed to be frank with lees brother and access the steward of the house. His son in the 19th century because the caretaker of washington. This is the story have all been so many hands will left, this is what natural grandson and grandson, George Washington costas who is the e o inherits the winds of washington dies easy to work washington costas, here he is painted around the time of the war of 1812 is not onincluding washingtons old field equipment and station to home and he called arlington overlooking the new city this is the watercolor from the early 19th century. He writes a few ofm here and invites artists and and aquariums to come and join the polls displayed in the 1840s so there he is before his death photographed by Matthew Brady and marys the man who read rated first in his class, Robert Edward here he is in his blue uniform and my colleague hereim 1861 required him to leave his home and his a photograph occupied by federal troops overlooking washington. Many relics were taken away but the things they couldnt take away including china, washington quarters packed away in the basement and the key was entrusted to the woman on the right, missus Robert Edward lee, the steward of the house. They start breaking in, once breaks in and cs of people from theoof souvenir and start taking books so she was to be relieved of the responsibility and trades the key over t Union Commander and allows objects to be taken into washington where they are displayed and they remain in federal custody the more we claim to ownershipnd they are sent for the c centennial, the dunnington on display, its not 1901 that they return the itemso the family and shortly after in front of the castle there, the tents were set up in photographed, 1900, 1905 looking in the end entrance of the dunnington, the First Oval Office you see and if you could make it, the smithsonian curator and definitely found up by conservators today butk that brings it back to that moment where the last surviving trial decides she has the onsiy care for the widows for those who served in the civil wa basically where the Natural Museum of history is today and put the raising and thousand dollars o in his a photograph of her and part of the article was said she wanted them to be the bproper place to be displayed d hope they were purchased by popular description. The article published in 1906 come to the attention of this man who was a priest in pennsylvania west of the love you and had a dream to build a chapel dedicated that survived at Memorial Chapel and hope to build a museum of American History a so he persuades some wealthy philadelphians to put up down payment in august of 1909 and brings it in places it on display in the building and does what we do, i souvenir that they would sell to try to raise and send it up condonedy curators today. They had a special case large enough they couldnt fully endorse the case that they instructed. The original surviving picket centswe we have the originaloo visitor book in a remark of George Washington figure, another image there. If youme see the piece on the e, that is George Washingtons amanda and another piece that came in support of the collection here. It was loaned tof the national service, some of you m may remember visiting valley forge, and it wasnt until the Museum Opened in 2017 the collection and tent and to give you a few images and we tell a version of the story i spent telling you because the first thing people ask for years giving talks like know itsdo you George Washington . Take you through George Washington and on the line so a dramatic presentation, its an moment every time you heal people go i didnt know that and you can see the script and begin to reveal. It is a real object theater presentation and it comes into full glory and it puts the hair on the back of your neck and thats myg shadow walking backn the wall there and an extraordinary experience and im going to end a few images to give sent because many of you have not visited the museum and thats one expense. 16000 squarefoot court exhibition and this is the way you come up, he recognized washington and the french officers, a copy of painting that hangs you up on the second floor, iou call it a movie you n walk through because we try to create an immersive experience so some areas are artifact, 500 works of art and we do rotations refreshing, the stories we tell and use mia and the stories of thee objects, big on immersive spaces. There is a piece of the last survivg, hetood on the grounds of what is now in maryland and come up with this idea and they responded to the and it isso fabulous. Document the declaration of independence, we use a programming space so when School Groups are coming through from a classroom to another classroom, they are learning in the galleries here. Group learning, intergenerational learning and activity and a final experience you have and its shocking to people, i took him through a few years ago working through the series of ultimate American Revolution is never thought there photographs because there are 150 people alive during the revolutionary war. Some children, all walks of life and background into the age of photography. What you see is half of the photographs back with the biography of these real people and you know the magic of being able to look in the eyes of a person whose photograph is worth thousands, a thousand John Trumbull paintings. The program called through the eyes for each kid is given a character card at the beginning, noyoung people in my person wasa soldier, all backgrounds and they are sharing theie stories d starting to form this empathetic connectionow. Both my character have thought about the declaration of independenceel and the surpriset the end is the wall and every one ofhe characters is a real person and i love senng and ey are trying to find the person and theyve seen the eyes to another person different than themselves. It is a strong message at the end so would put different mirrors of the american revoluon and its not just the story in the past, who can know what happened a couple hundred years ago, its about getting them to seek people in the past struggling with imperfect information and not knowing the consequences and how to the system of government have arrived at of his most unlikely of places . Understanding the system only continues to take up the challenge so wene addition those if you look above and they look at themselves, they are looking over their shoulders and it is incredible and you can have a conversation what d you think it means . Is everyone equal today . Is everyonee enjoying the quality . Are there problems we need to solve . A couple weeks ago the raters were didnt know the word inflation but he said things are really expensive. No[laughter] now theres no king so whoss . Responsible for solving theset problems . You just go message received so the last couple of images here, another program we are proud of, we use the museum and donors who contributed legal permanent residents starting to become naturalized citizens. So many of those questions are rooted in the founding era so we use the museum says the textbook you can walkro through to teach them t. Several hundred graduates of the program and now 40 new citizens who have seen themselves as part of the w story and i always ask naturalization ceremony july 1 and i alwaysw ask them to take the pictures in front of those mirrors because your part of the story now. Great deal of joy. We love the arts and crafts and tactile experience ofnging young people not just through computers. It is now i can move through touchinghing through stimulation, raise your hand. Which flight did you . A fraction british flag. Nine women in textiles last year to do this true colors project. All the flags would be carri. They didnt just lie the flag, he would fly reddish flag if you thought you would carry british, portuguese and could not fire at the enemy until you had shown ur true colors together fly the flag or treated as a pilot so that was a great project. Lots of living history, interpretation and the galleries and special exhibitions right now, liberty and revolutionary war and most renowned contemporary military history artist specializing in history and the sweet spot. Its the first time weve ever had this work. His collection and other private collections, a lot of things you okwouldnt normally see on publc display. Looking ahead to 2026, this is the 250th declaration of independence in the declaration of people in American History, how does it inspire people Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln all the way to doctor Martin Luther king and people around the world how to shape the world we live in . And thisa. Week we are number sx philadelphia. We are shooting our way to the top off the list there but museum, very solid choices. Check out our website, this is the cover of the last annual report, tons of information, digital programs and evening programs like we are doing here tonight. If youre interested in becoming a member, at the very least visit philadelphia, the museum. Id be shocked if you did not follow. Thank you all for your attention. [laughter] recently on the presidey, directors of manures like eisenhowers presintl library and museum and president lincolns cotta discuss preservation and interpretation of american president ial. Heres a portion of the program. We got approached by a member of the community and my last name is rowe and i think of a connection. That conversation began and the unusual friend, extended family and we slowly grew into a collaborative relationship and now we have advisors to work with us on questions of research and interpretation and direction of where we want to go and it came out the change. In the word choices of how we interpret history and the Council Works through in the moment probably the wrong word. The extended time of racial reckoning we are in having a group of ancestors to really confer and create the right path, a right way. These difficult histories but they are working hard and have conversation. We see in image of research at a public event met with city schools, staff and other personnel over the course of a few days with precovid events so much of 2020 saying how do we have these conrsions about slavery and its legacy today . Watch the full program anytime online at cspan. Org history. If youre enjoying, and using the qr code on the screen to receive weekly schedule of upcoming programs like lectures in history, presidency and more. Sign up for. In history tv newsletter today and watch American History tv every saturday or anytime online cspan. Org history. Theatest in nonfiction books and authors, funding for cspan2 comes from these Television Companies and more including well. The world has changed. Fast reliable internet no one can live without. Speed, reliability, value and choice. Now more than ever, it starts with great internet. Wow along with these Television Companies support cspan2 as a public service. Visit cspanshop. Org, cspan online store and save during our fathers day sale. Save up to 20 of the latest election, home decor, puzzles and more. Support nonprofit operations, scan the court on the right to