Historian Dr. Caitlin Fitz to Discuss Latin American Independence and the American Revolution in Free Virtual Event June 30

Part of Museum’s Popular “Read the Revolution” Speaker Series

Author and historian Dr. Caitlin Fitz will discuss her award-winning first book, Our Sister Republics: The United States in an Age of American Revolutions, on Tuesday, June 30 at 6 p.m. The virtual conversation with Museum of the American Revolution President and CEO Dr. R. Scott Stephenson is part of the Museum’s popular Read the Revolution Speaker Series. The event is free, but registration is required here.

Winner of the 2016 James H. Broussard First Book Prize, Our Sister Republics: The United States in an Age of American Revolutions (W.W. Norton, Liveright, 2016) shows how Latin America’s wars for independence shaped popular understandings of race, revolution, and republicanism in the United States. Fitz draws on sources and archives in four languages to address how citizens of the new U.S. compared their Revolution and republicanism with Latin America’s independence movements.

“[Fitz] is a deft guide to this reinterpretation of early American history, a time when ‘earlier rhetoric of inalienable rights and self-evident truths was increasingly challenged by assertions of white superiority and U.S. exceptionalism’… Fitz shows that history is not always written by wars, treaties, and administrative actions; often, the people take the lead.” – Kirkus Reviews

“This study, based on strong academic foundations and written in captivating and elegant prose, is an impressive achievement that suggests intriguing origins of American exceptionalism.” – Publishers Weekly

Dr. Caitlin Fitz is a historian of early America and Associate Professor of History at Northwestern University. Her work explores early U.S. engagement with foreign communities and cultures, as well as the relationship between ordinary people and formal politics. In addition to Our Sister Republics, Fitz has written about the hemispheric dimensions of the War of 1812 (Journal of American History, 2015), U.S. citizens in insurgent Brazil (The Americas, 2008), Iroquois communities during the U.S. revolution (Journal of the Early Republic, 2008), and antislavery activists in Tennessee (Civil War History, 2006). She currently serves on the Editorial Board of Early American Studies, as well as on the nominations committee of the Society for Historians of the Early American Republic.

Fitz has written essays, reviews, and opinion pieces for The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and The Los Angeles Times, and she has held fellowships from the Fulbright Foundation, the American Council of Learned Societies, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Recipient of a Weinberg Distinguished Teaching Award, she offers courses on American history through 1865. She received a doctoral degree in History from Yale University in 2010.

The Museum’s Read the Revolution Speaker Series brings celebrated authors and historians to the Museum for lively discussions of their work. The series is based on the Museum’s national Read the Revolution bi-monthly e-newsletter, which features excerpts from thought-provoking books to inspire learning about the American Revolution.

Read the Revolution is sponsored by The Haverford Trust Company.

About Museum of the American Revolution
The Museum of the American Revolution uncovers and shares compelling stories about the diverse people and complex events that sparked America’s ongoing experiment in liberty, equality, and self-government. Through the Museum’s unmatched collection, immersive galleries, powerful theater experiences, and interactive elements, visitors gain a deeper appreciation for how this nation came to be and feel inspired to consider their role in ensuring that the promise of the American Revolution endures. Located just steps away from Independence Hall, the Museum serves as a portal to the region’s many Revolutionary sites, sparking interest, providing context, and encouraging exploration. The Museum, which opened on April 19, 2017, is a private, non-profit, and non-partisan organization. For more information, visit www.AmRevMuseum.org or call 877.740.1776.