In this episode of Historians & Their Histories, Dr. Blake Grindon examines the 1777 death of Jane McCrea during the British Saratoga campaign and how this event became a powerful propaganda tool in the American Revolution. Dr. Grindon discusses how McCrea's story in which she was allegedly killed by Native warriors allied with the British spread rapidly through newspapers across the thirteen states and even reached parliamentary speeches in Britain and French newspapers. Dr. Grindon's work also examines the military and diplomatic roles of diverse Native nations during the Revolution, challenging narratives that overlook Indigenous political sovereignty and agency during this period.

Dr. Grindon is the recipient of a fellowship from the New England Regional Fellowship Consortium, which is administered by the Massachusetts Historical Society.

To learn more about MHS fellowships and how to apply, please visit this page.

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In this episode of Historians & Their Histories, Dr. Ross Nedervelt explores why Bermuda and the Bahamas held strategic significance for the United States during the Age of the American Revolution. He discusses how these islands were exempted from the Continental Congress's 1775 embargo on the British Empire due to their sympathy for the American cause and their supply of arms to the patriots. His research also examines the long-term consequences of these colonies remaining British including their role as fortified bases for impressment operations and as a planning ground for the British during the War of 1812.

Dr. Nedervelt is the recipient of an Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship from the Massachusetts Historical Society, a long-term fellowship sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the MHS, and a New England Regional Fellowship Consortium award.

To learn more about MHS fellowships and how to apply, please visit this page.

Learn more about this episode here: https://www.masshist.org/podcast/hath-episode-27-Nedervelt

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Colocate by Podington Bear (Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported)

In this episode of Historians & Their Histories, independent scholar and author Monique Hayes discusses her historical fiction novel which follows two African American brothers who take opposing paths during the American Revolution. She shares the challenges of writing about a period with few first-person narratives from African Americans, the excitement of discovering primary sources like Thomas Jefferson's Farm Book and Continental Army orderly books, and how being in Boston during the 250th anniversary commemoration has enriched her understanding of Revolutionary War-era spaces.

Monique Hayes is the recipient of a fellowship from the New England Regional Fellowship Consortium, which is administered by the Massachusetts Historical Society.

To learn more about MHS fellowships and how to apply, please visit this page.

Learn more about this episode here: https://www.masshist.org/podcast/hath-episode-26-Hayes

This episode uses materials from:

Colocate by Podington Bear (Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported)