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Read the Revolution

A curated collection of thought-provoking books about the American Revolution.

Featured Books

African Founders

Read an excerpt from Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Hackett Fischer's book, African Founders: How Enslaved People Expanded American Ideals.

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The Journal of Charlotte L. Forten

Read an excerpt from The Journal of Charlotte L. Forten, edited by Ray Allen Billington.

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The Grimkes

Read an excerpt from Kerri K. Greenidge's book, The Grimkes: The Legacy of Slavery in an American Family.

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Double Feature: First Martyr of Liberty and The Remarkable Cause

Read excerpts from Mitch Kachun's First Martyr of Liberty: Crispus Attucks in American Memory and Jean O'Connor's The Remarkable Cause: A Novel of James Lovell and the Crucible of the Revolution.

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Flora MacDonald: "Pretty Young Rebel"

Read an excerpt from Flora Fraser's new book, Flora MacDonald: “Pretty Young Rebel”: Her Life and Story.

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    African Founders book cover by David Hackett Fischer
    Cover of The Journal of Charlotte L. Forten featuring a photograph of an older Charlotte.
    The Grimkes by Kerri Greenidge Book book cover.
    Book covers for First Martyr of Liberty and The Remarkable Cause.
    Flora Macdonald Pretty Young Rebel book cover by Flora Fraser

    About

    Curated by Museum staff since 2013, Read the Revolution features excerpts from thought-provoking books about the American Revolution. Read the Revolution was created with thanks to a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. Subscribe to get the biweekly Read the Revolution featured excerpts emailed right to your inbox for free.

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    Speaker Series

    Inspired by the Read the Revolution featured excerpts, the Read the Revolution Speaker Series brings celebrated authors and historians to the Museum for lively, facilitated discussions of their work. Each Read the Revolution Speaker Series program, hosted by Museum President & CEO Dr. R. Scott Stephenson, includes a special talk and audience Q&A.

    About the Series

    All Books

    Showing 11–17 of 17 items
    Rtr Hardcover Never Caught The Story Of Ona Judge George And Martha Washington S Courageous Slave Who Dared To Run Away Young Readers Edition
    Children & Young Adults

    Never Caught

    Posted: January 23, 2019
    Read an excerpt from Dr. Erica Armstrong Dunbar and Kathleen Van Cleve's young reader adaptation of the story of runaway slave Ona Judge.
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    Hamilton and Peggy! A Revolutionary Friendship book cover
    Children & Young Adults

    Summer 2018 Reading List

    Posted: July 25, 2018
    View our list of 2018 Summer Reading Books about the American Revolutionary War to share stories of history with children of all ages!
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    Rtr I Survived 1
    Children & Young Adults

    I Survived the American Revolution

    Posted: January 10, 2018
    Read an excerpt from Lauren Tarshis's children's book of a young boy's courage as he and the Continental Army prepare for the Battle of Brooklyn.
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    This image depicts the book cover of American Cake by Anne Byrn. The book cover shows a white frosted cake with pink rose petals on top. The cake sits on a white cake stand with more petals surrounding the right side of the stand. Below this image is the title of the book. Below the title of the book are three smaller photographs of cakes dated 1770, 1903, and 1963.
    History

    Double Feature: Gingerbread

    Posted: November 22, 2017
    Read these excerpts featuring Colonial recipes along with tempting and intriguing stories about our early American culinary history.
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    Image 101520 Rtr 2017 Summer Reading List Kids
    Children & Young Adults

    Summer 2017 Reading List

    Posted: July 12, 2017
    Check out the 45 titles featured in our summer 2017 reading list for children and young adults.
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    Image 091120 324x499 Rtrforgedinphila
    History

    Forged in Philadelphia

    Posted: November 18, 2015
    Read an excerpt from Rebecca Eckfeldt Gibby's children's book where she uncovers the history of her Revolutionary-era ancestor from Philadelphia.
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    Image 091520 847x1241 Rtrchains
    Children & Young Adults

    Chains

    Posted: September 10, 2013
    Read an excerpt from Laurie Halse Anderson's young adult novel that tells the story of a young slave girl during the start of the Revolutionary War.
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