Schenectady County Historical SocietySchenectady, N.Y. - The Schenectady County Historical Society is thrilled to announce that author Russell Shorto will be the keynote speaker for the Crossroads of the Revolution Symposium on November 7.

Crossroads is a one-day symposium that will bring together leading historians, scholars, and public history professionals to explore different aspects of the American Revolution in upstate New York, with a particular focus on Schenectady as a crossroads of conflict and supply.Together, they'll examine the experiences of everyday folks who made their home in and around Schenectady County. How did patriots and loyalists, farmers and merchants, and men, women, and children see their lives changed by the fight for independence? How did geography, community, and the environment influence the Revolution in this region, including the Mohawk River? Through two presentations and a panel discussion, the symposium will discuss Schenectady as a crossroads during the American Revolution.

Keynote speaker Russell Shorto is the director of the New Amsterdam Project at The New York Historical and senior scholar at the New Netherland Institute. He writes books of narrative history, which have been published in fourteen languages and have won numerous awards. In 2009, Shorto was given a knighthood by the Dutch government for advancing Dutch-American historical awareness. In 2018, he was inducted into the New York State Writers Hall of Fame. Some of his books include "Revolution Song," "Taking Manhattan," and "The Island at the Center of the World."

He'll be in good company, joined by fellow historians and authors Claire Bellerjeau, John Gearing,  Donald F. Johnson, Sean Kelleher, and Kiersten Marcil! 

This event will take place on November 7 at 2-6pm inside Covenant Hall at First Reformed Church on Church St, Schenectady. Light refreshments and coffee will be provided during the event. Tickets are limited so we suggest reserving early.

Executive Director Mary Z. Graves explains, "this year is America’s 250th birthday – a transformative moment for how we as Americans understand our ongoing experiment in liberty, equality, and self-government. At SCHS, we’re committed to interpreting the 'semiquincentennial' through thoughtful programming that incorporates a range of stories, voices, and perspectives. It will all culminate in the “Schenectady: Crossroads of Revolution” symposium. We hope our programming can, in some small way, inspire our participants to uphold the Revolution’s unfinished work!"

Director of Education, Michael Diana, adds "The Historical Society is excited for the 250th birthday of our nation! Such an important anniversary comes around only once a generation! Throughout the year we'll explore the themes and ideals of the American Revolution with a wide variety of public programs and lectures, including one by renowned author Russell Shorto."

SCHS Board President Suzanne Unger notes that programming will explore the stories of those Schenectadians "whose names have been lost to the ages," taking a look at "what our own community experienced during the Revolutionary War."

Local author Kiersten Marcil has led SCHS' efforts to  mark the semiquincentennial, and stresses the importance of telling the stories of the everyday folks who were part of the Revolution. "Behind Schenectady’s often-overlooked struggle in determining what was right were the commonplace families earning their daily bread on our now busy city streets. This question of whether to remain loyal to the colonial government or gamble on a lofty fight for equality was awakened in Schenectady -- and Crossroads will delve deep into that story."

Claire Bellerjeau is the co-author of “Espionage and Enslavement in the Revolution: The True Story of Robert Townsend and Elizabeth”, published in May of 2021. Bellerjeau is also the co-founder of a 501(c)3 non-profit organization called Remember Liss, with the mission to educate the community about the extraordinary life and times of an enslaved Black woman from New York named Elizabeth, or Liss.

John Gearing, Esq. is a historian and author whose works focuses on Schenectady during the colonial and Revolutionary periods. His most recent publication is the seminal "Schenectady Genesis Volume II: The Creation of an American City from an Anglo-Dutch Colonial Town, ca. 1760-1800."

Donald F. Johnson is Associate Professor of History at North Dakota State University, where he teaches courses and advises graduate students on early America, memory studies, and historical research and writing. He also has expertise in public history and material culture studies. Johnson is the author of "Occupied America; British Military Rule and the Experience of Revolution," which chronicles the everyday experience of ordinary people living under military occupation during the American Revolution.

Sean Kelleher has served as the Town of Saratoga Historian for over 20 years. He is also an ACE award-winning television producer, and has spent over a decade working on national productions, including PBS’s "American Experience". In addition, Sean has served as a commissioner of the New York State French and Indian War 250th Anniversary Commemoration Commission, and as the Director of the Washington County Fair Farm Museum.

Kiersten Marcil is an author of historical fiction and the chair of the Schenectady Celebrates 250! committee for the Schenectady County Historical Society. In 2024, she received a DAR America 250! Commendation by the National Society of the DAR, and was the recipient of the NSDAR American Heritage: Women in the Arts Recognition Award. Her published works include the Enlightened saga: "Witness to the Revolution" and "The General's Watch." She is currently working on the third installment of the saga.

ABOUT SCHS

The Schenectady County Historical Society is a private, nonprofit institution that was founded in 1905 to share and preserve Schenectady County’s history. Today we bring history and culture to life through exhibits, programs, and community events at our three sites. In 2025, SCHS hosted 116 public programs, welcomed tens of thousands of visitors to our sites, and served over 3,800 school children. That's in addition to over 80 outreach and community events we participated in, which reached additional hundreds of people. 

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