News and Blog
(The World According to Carp?)
Summer's End: Upcoming Events
Well, after a long break from the blog, here are some upcoming events! You can see fuller details for some of these on the events page, too.
August 23 (Wednesday), 7 pm to 8:30 pm, In Person, “The Great New York Fire of 1776: A Lost Story of the American Revolution,” Non-Fiction at the Bryant Park Reading Room series, Bryant Park, NY [free]
September 17 (Sunday), 2 pm, Online, Book Breaks, Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
September 17 (Sunday), 7 pm to 8:30 pm, Online, “The Boston Tea Party and the Making of America,” Emerging Revolutionary War [link to livestream]
September 26 (Tuesday), 7 pm to 8 pm, Online, “A Hat Trick with author Benjamin L. Carp!” HistoryAuthorTalks.com [click here to register]
October 12 (Thursday), 6:30 pm (preceded by reception at 5 pm), In Person, “American Creation, American Destruction: The 250th Anniversary of the Boston Tea Party and 1776,” H. Nicholas Hamner Lecture, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI
October 25 (Wednesday), noon to 1 pm, Online, “The Great New York Fire of 1776: A Lost Story of the American Revolution,” New York State Library Public Webinars [click on link to register]
…and stay tuned for more Boston Tea Party talks in December!
More exciting news!
I haven’t been updating the blog very much, for which I apologize! But there have still been some exciting things going on.
I had a wonderful talk at Mount Vernon, which you can watch via that link.
I also had a great exchange at the CUNY Graduate Center, hosted by the Early American Republic Seminar, with David Waldstreicher about our books: you can check out his The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley which has also recently come out.
The Graduate Center of CUNY interviewed me: “Who Burned New York in 1776?”
Erik Ofgang, writing for Smithsonian Magazine, asks more specifically, “Did George Washington Order Rebels to Burn New York City in 1776?”
Dozens of colleagues were recognized at the Brooklyn College Faculty Authors Reception, which is held each spring.
Along with other colleagues, I will receive an Award for Excellence in Scholarly and Creative Achievement at Brooklyn College, at a ceremony at the end of the Annual Faculty Day Conference this week.
And there is more to come! Upcoming talks:
May 18 (Thursday), 6:30 pm, In Person, “Lost Stories: How the New York City Fire of 1776 Illuminates Unfamiliar Lives of the American Revolution,” sponsored by New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, Fraunces Tavern, New York. Please register using the link!
May 22, 7:30 pm (Monday), In Person, “The Great New York Fire of 1776: A Lost Story of the American Revolution,” American Revolution Round Table of Philadelphia, Montgomery, PA (arrive an hour early for food and drink)
May 23 (Tuesday), 6 pm, In Person and Online, “The Great New York Fire of 1776: A Lost Tale of the American Revolution,” General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen of the City of New York in partnership with the New York Landmarks Conservancy, in New York (advance registration required, whether online or in person).
May 30 (Tuesday), 7 pm, Online, “Benjamin L. Carp on Urban Geographies of the American Revolution,” Richard H. Brown Seminar on the Historical Geography of the American Revolutionary Era at the Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library and the American Revolutionary Geographies Online (ARGO) project. Free and open to the public. Register here!
Upcoming Book Talks (second April posting)
Beyond spring break, here’s what my schedule looks like for the next two months. You can see fuller details for some of these on the events page, too.
April 27 (Tuesday), 7 pm to 8 pm, Online and In Person, “The Great New York Fire of 1776,” Ford Evening Book Talk Series, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon, VA [free]
May 5 (Friday), 4 to 5:30 pm, In Person, Joint Book Presentation, with David Waldstreicher, Graduate Center, CUNY, New York. RSVP here!
May 18 (Thursday), 6:30 pm, In Person, “Lost Stories: How the New York City Fire of 1776 Illuminates Unfamiliar Lives of the American Revolution,” sponsored by New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, Fraunces Tavern, New York. Please register using the link!
May 22, 7:30 pm (Monday), In Person, “The Great New York Fire of 1776: A Lost Story of the American Revolution,” American Revolution Round Table of Philadelphia, Montgomery, PA (arrive an hour early for food and drink)
May 23 (Tuesday), 6 pm, In Person and Online, The Great New York Fire of 1776, General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen of the City of New York, New York
May 30 (Tuesday), 7 pm, Online, “Benjamin L. Carp on Urban Geographies of the American Revolution,” Richard H. Brown Seminar on the Historical Geography of the American Revolutionary Era at the Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library and the American Revolutionary Geographies Online (ARGO) project. Free and open to the public. Register here!
Upcoming Book Talks (April posting)
It’s been a busy couple of months for public book talks! Things are slowing down a little bit, though I’ll have a couple more things to add in May. You can see fuller details for some of these on the events page, too.
April 3 (Monday), 12:50 pm to 2:05 pm, In Person, “The Great New York Fire of 1776,” with Barnet Schecter, Tanger Auditorium, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY
April 4 (Tuesday), 7:30 pm, Online, “The Great New York Fire of 1776: A Lost Story of the American Revolution,” American Revolution Round Table of New York, New York [free and open to the public, but registration required 24 hours ahead]
April 27 (Tuesday), 7 pm to 8 pm, Online and In Person, “The Great New York Fire of 1776,” Ford Evening Book Talk Series, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon, VA [free]
May 5 (Friday), 4 to 5:30 pm, In Person, Joint Book Presentation, with David Waldstreicher, Graduate Center, CUNY, New York. RSVP here!
May 18 (Thursday), 6:30 pm, In Person, “Lost Stories: How the New York City Fire of 1776 Illuminates Unfamiliar Lives of the American Revolution,” sponsored by New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, Fraunces Tavern, New York. Please register using the link!
May 22, 7:30 pm (Monday), In Person, “The Great New York Fire of 1776: A Lost Story of the American Revolution,” American Revolution Round Table of Philadelphia, Montgomery, PA (arrive an hour early for food and drink)
May 23 (Tuesday), 6 pm, In Person and Online, The Great New York Fire of 1776, General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen of the City of New York, New York
Upcoming Book Talks (March posting)
Another update about public book talks! You can see fuller details for some of these on the events page, too.
March 18 (Saturday), In Person, “‘Many Circumstances Lead to Conjecture That Mr. Washington Was Privy to This Villainous Act’: George Washington and the Great New York City Fire of 1776,” 10th Annual Conference on the American Revolution, America’s History, LLC, Williamsburg, VA (registration required)
March 21 (Tuesday), 5:30 pm to 9 pm, In Person, “The Great New York Fire of 1776: Private Exhibition Viewing and Panel Discussion,” New York City Fire Museum, New York. Register here!
March 25 (Saturday), 2 pm to 3:30 pm, In Person, “Reading: ‘The Great New York Fire of 1776’ by Benjamin L. Carp,” RECIRCULATION: A project of Word Up. Kid-friendly! With musical performance, fire=themed candy and treats, and scavenger hunt! Register here!
March 30 (Thursday), 6:30 pm to 8 pm, Online, “The Night Patriots Burned New York City Down,” with Russell Shorto, The Gotham Center for New York City History, CUNY Graduate Center, New York [registration required, free]
April 3 (Monday), 12:50 pm to 2:05 pm, In Person, “The Great New York Fire of 1776,” with Barnet Schecter, Tanger Auditorium, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY
April 4 (Tuesday), 7:30 pm, “The Great New York Fire of 1776: A Lost Story of the American Revolution,” American Revolution Round Table of New York, New York [free and open to the public, but registration required 24 hours ahead]
April 27 (Tuesday), 7 pm to 8 pm, Online and In Person, “The Great New York Fire of 1776,” Ford Evening Book Talk Series, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon, VA [free]
May 5 (Friday), 4 to 5:30 pm, In Person, Joint Book Presentation, with David Waldstreicher, Graduate Center, CUNY, New York. RSVP here!
May 18 (Thursday), 6:30 pm, In Person, “Lost Stories: How the New York City Fire of 1776 Illuminates Unfamiliar Lives of the American Revolution,” sponsored by New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, Fraunces Tavern, New York
May 22, 7:30 pm (Monday), In Person, “The Great New York Fire of 1776: A Lost Story of the American Revolution,” American Revolution Round Table of Philadelphia, Montgomery, PA (arrive an hour early for food and drink)
May 23 (Tuesday), 6 pm, In Person and Online, The Great New York Fire of 1776, General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen of the City of New York, New York
Upcoming Book Talks (mid-February update)
We’re still in the midst of several public book talks! You can see fuller details for some of these on the events page, too.
Feb. 23 (Thursday), 7 pm, Online, “Virtual Lecture: The Great New York Fire of 1776,” Putnam History Museum, Cold Spring, NY [must have tickets: free for members, $10 for non-members. Support history non-profits!]
March 2 (Thursday), 6:30 pm (Central), Online, Six Bridges Book Festival, Little Rock, AR
March 9 (Thursday), 4 pm (Pacific Time), In Person, register for pre-circulated material: “The Great New York Fire of 1776,” American Origins seminar, Early Modern Studies Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
March 18 (Saturday), In Person, “‘Many Circumstances Lead to Conjecture That Mr. Washington Was Privy to This Villainous Act’: George Washington and the Great New York City Fire of 1776,” 10th Annual Conference on the American Revolution, America’s History, LLC, Williamsburg, VA (registration required)
March 21 (Tuesday), 5:30 pm to 9 pm, In Person, Reception and Panel, New York City Fire Museum, New York
March 24 (Friday), 11 am to 12:30 pm, In Person, The Great New York Fire of 1776, CUNY Academy for the Humanities and Sciences, Graduate Center, New York (this has been postponed)
March 25 (Saturday), 2 pm, In Person, The Great New York Fire of 1776, at Recirculation (a project of Word Up Bookstore), 876 Riverside Drive, New York
March 30 (Thursday), 6:30 pm to 8 pm, Online, “The Night Patriots Burned New York City Down,” with Russell Shorto, The Gotham Center for New York City History, CUNY Graduate Center, New York [registration required, free]
April 3 (Monday), 12:50 pm, In Person, “The Great New York Fire of 1776,” with Barnet Schecter, Tanger Auditorium, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY
April 4 (Tuesday), 7:30 pm, American Revolution Round Table of New York, New York [advance registration probably required]
April 27 (Thursday), 7 pm to 8 pm, Online and in person “The Great New York Fire of 1776,” Ford Evening Book Talk Series, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon, VA [free]
May 5 (Friday), 4 to 5:30 pm, in person, Joint Book Presentation, with David Waldstreicher, Graduate Center, CUNY, New York
May 18 (Thursday), 6:30 pm, in person, unnamed talk, sponsored by New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, Fraunces Tavern, New York
May 22 (Monday), 7:30 pm, In Person, “The Great New York Fire of 1776: A Lost Story of the American Revolution,” American Revolution Round Table of Philadelphia, Montgomery, PA (arrive an hour early for food and drink)
May 23 (Tuesday), 6 pm, In Person and Hybrid, The Great New York Fire of 1776, General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen of the City of New York, New York
Upcoming Book Talks (reposted for February)
We’re now on the eve of a series of public book talks! You can see fuller details for some of these on the events page, too.
Feb. 10, 7 pm, Online: New York Military Affairs Symposium, New York
Feb. 14, 2 pm to 3 pm, Online: “The Great New York Fire of 1776” (the last of three “course” sessions), Roundtable by 92NY, 92nd Street Y, New York
Feb. 15, 6 pm, Online: “The Great Fire of 1776,” Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY [tickets $9]
Feb. 16, 7 pm, In Person: “The Great New York Fire of 1776,” Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, Centerport, NY
Feb. 23, 7 pm, Online, “Virtual Lecture: The Great New York Fire of 1776,” Putnam History Museum, Cold Spring, NY [must have tickets: free for members, $10 for non-members. Support history non-profits!]
March 2, 6:30 pm (Central), Online, Six Bridges Book Festival, Little Rock, AR
March 9, 4 pm (Pacific Time), In Person, register for pre-circulated material: “The Great New York Fire of 1776,” American Origins seminar, Early Modern Studies Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
March 18, In Person, “‘Many Circumstances Lead to Conjecture That Mr. Washington Was Privy to This Villainous Act’: George Washington and the Great New York City Fire of 1776,” 10th Annual Conference on the American Revolution, America’s History, LLC, Williamsburg, VA (registration required)
March 21, 5:30 pm to 9 pm, In Person, Reception and Panel, New York City Fire Museum, New York
March 30, 6:30 pm to 8 pm, Online, “The Night Patriots Burned New York City Down,” with Russell Shorto, The Gotham Center for New York City History, CUNY Graduate Center, New York [registration required, free]
April 4, 7:30 pm, American Revolution Round Table of New York, New York [advance registration probably required]
April 27, 7 pm to 8 pm, Online and in person “The Great New York Fire of 1776,” Ford Evening Book Talk Series, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon, VA [free]
May 22, 7:30 pm, In Person, “The Great New York Fire of 1776: A Lost Story of the American Revolution,” American Revolution Round Table of Philadelphia, Montgomery, PA (arrive an hour early for food and drink)
Upcoming Book Talks (reposted)
I’ve booked a number of book talks and other presentations for 2023, and while you’ll be able to see some of them on the events page, I wanted to list them all in one place. Many of them will be on Zoom! Some of these events may be subject to change, of course, but mark your calendars if you think you might be able to attend! I’ll update all this at a later point and possibly do a new post to supplant this one.
January 24, January 31, Feb. 7, 2 pm to 3 pm, Online: “The Great New York Fire of 1776” (three “course” sessions), Roundtable by 92NY, 92nd Street Y, New York
Feb. 7, 6:15 pm: Brooklyn Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, Old Stone House, Brooklyn, NY [this event may be for members only]
Feb. 10, 7 pm, Online: New York Military Affairs Symposium, New York
Feb. 15, 6 pm, Online: “The Great Fire of 1776,” Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY [tickets $9]
Feb. 16, 7 pm: “The Great New York Fire of 1776,” Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, Centerport, NY
Feb. 23, 7 pm, “Virtual Lecture: The Great New York Fire of 1776” (online): Putnam History Museum, Cold Spring, NY [must have tickets: free for members, $10 for non-members. Support history non-profits!]
March 2, 6:30 pm (Central), Online, Six Bridges Book Festival, Little Rock, AR
March 9, 4 pm (Pacific Time), register for pre-circulated material: “The Great New York Fire of 1776,” American Origins seminar, Early Modern Studies Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
March 18, registration required: “‘Many Circumstances Lead to Conjecture That Mr. Washington Was Privy to This Villainous Act’: George Washington and the Great New York City Fire of 1776,” 10th Annual Conference on the American Revolution, America’s History, LLC, Williamsburg, VA
March 21, evening, New York City Fire Museum, New York
March 30, 6:30 pm to 8 pm, Online, “The Night Patriots Burned New York City Down,” with Russell Shorto, The Gotham Center for New York City History, New York [registration required, free]
April 4, 7:30 pm: American Revolution Round Table of New York, New York [advance registration probably required]
April 27, 7 pm to 8 pm: Online and in person “The Great New York Fire of 1776,” Ford Evening Book Talk Series, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon, VA [free]
May 22, 7:30 pm (arrive an hour early for food and drink): “The Great New York Fire of 1776: A Lost Story of the American Revolution,” American Revolution Round Table of Philadelphia, Montgomery, PA