America250: Detroit in 1776

Presented by Bill Pringle, Curator of Collections at the Detroit Historical Society, this talk explores Detroit’s overlooked role during the era of the American Revolution. As Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin worked to draft the Declaration of Independence, Detroit was already a well-established and influential settlement with deep colonial roots. Despite the Revolution’s outcome, the city remained under British control until 1796, creating a unique environment where Indigenous, French, British, and American communities coexisted—often with competing loyalties. Though far from the war’s major battlefields, Detroit was a critical strategic outpost whose story reveals the broader complexities of the Revolutionary era.

This event will be located in the Galleria, which is at the center of the library, on the first floor.
If you cannot attend in-person, join us on Zoom!

Link: zoom.us/join

Meeting ID: 884 9770 7735

Passcode: 117790

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Host or Publisher Main | Detroit Public Library