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2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. As one of the original 13 colonies, how did Rhode Island play a role in the Revolutionary War?

Join us for our iconic lecture series and learn more about :

Thurs., May 14th 6:00 p.m. Conversations at the Castle:

Quaker historian Betzy Cazden will give the presentation "Rhode Island Quakers in the War of Independence" Quakers almost from their founding refused to participate in military activities, and Rhode Island Colony generally honored that position of conscience. The War of Independence challenged their position and forced hard decisions. This talk will explore how the Quaker community coped with the War of Independence, and with changes to civilian life in the colony due to the British occupations and disruptions to maritime trade.

Sat. May 23rd Breakfast Talk 9:30 a.m.

Smith’s Castle historian Marilyn Harris will talk about “Women During the American Revolution”

Tues. June 9th 6:00 p.m. Conversations at the Castle:

Jamestown historian Peter Fay : The Untold Story: Rhode Island African Americans as Loyalists

The pivotal role African Americans played in helping the British suppress rebel resistance in Rhode Island in the early years of the War of Independence has been largely overlooked. In 1775, General Nathanael Greene of Warwick condemned the burning of rebel houses in Jamestown, noting that “Col. Joseph Wanton's Negroes piloted [British Captain] Wallace’s crew about the island and pointed out the houses to burn.”

Peter Fay examines why such acts of agency by Black loyalists have been largely excluded by historians, while narratives of Black patriotism, especially the celebrated Black Regiment, have been elevated. Recovering these untold stories from the historical record and examining their erasure will shed much light on the racial-political lens through which America still views itself today.

Tues., June 23rd 6:00 p.m. Conversations at the Castle:

Historian Christian McBurney will give a presentation. Topic, TBA

Saturday, June 27th 9:30 a.m. Breakfast Talk

Trustee and OLLIE instructor Mark Burnham will give a presentation on Rhode Island’s Stephen Hopkins.

Come learn about the complicated life of one of RI's Founding Fathers, Stephen Hopkins, and how this self-taught person helped shape political and economic life in the U.S. colonies. We'll look at some events in Rhode Island leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and shortly thereafter, all through his eyes and experiences.

Sat. July 11th 9:30 a.m. Breakfast Talk:

Historians John Dower and Marilyn Harris will give a presentation on important Rhode Island Documents during the Revolution.

Sat. August 8th 9:30 a.m. Breakfast Talk: TBA

Sat. Sept. 12th 9:30 a.m. Breakfast Talk:

Rhode Island State Historian Keith Stokes talks about the African-American response to the onset of Revolution, and the oral history and cultures kept alive despite the upheavals.

Tues. Sept. 15th 6:00 p.m. Conversations at the Castle:

East Greenwich historian Matt Carceiri will give a presentation entitled “Royally Aggrieved: How East Greenwich Became a Hotbed of Liberty” describing the local tensions that gave rise to two of the nation’s most impassioned revolutionaries: Nathanael Greene and James Varnum.

Sat. Sept 26th 9:30 a.m. Breakfast Talk:

Historian Robert A. Geake will offer a presentation entitled “Early Reparations in the Wake of the Revolutionary War: Widows and Heirs of Patriots of Color Struggle for Recognition and Reward.”

Tues., Sept. 29th 6:00 p.m. Conversations at the Castle.

Sat. Oct. 10th 9:30 a.m. Breakfast Talk: TBA

Smith's Castle Lecture Series

Rhode Island and the Revolutionary War