Professor LaGarrett J. King will discuss his recent article “The African Americans’ Revolution: Black Patriots, Black Founders, and the Concept of Interest Convergence.” Black Founders were men and women of African ancestry who lived during colonial times. Their ideas and actions helped form economic systems, win freedom from the British, establish social institutions, and fight racial prejudice in the emerging United States. Black Founders did not necessarily hold the same philosophical principles as their white counterparts, and in many cases their ideas and practices contradicted white Founders’ beliefs about race and democracy. Given their racist exclusion from the larger American society, Black Founders were more concerned about building a country within a country—one for Black people.

LaGarrett J. King is an Associate Professor of Social Studies Education in the Graduate School of Education at the University at Buffalo. A former teacher in Texas and Georgia, his research broadly examines how Black history and race is taught and learned in schools and society.

This is a virtual talk which will be held on Zoom. SCHS Members will be emailed a link the day of the program.

Winter Speaker Series:

07 JAN Marie Danielle Annette Williams “Loyalists in the Adirondacks”
14 JAN Laurie Lawlor “Many Voices: Erie, the Canal that Changed America”
21 JAN Chuck Henry “First Draft of History: NY State Historic Newspapers”
28 JAN Ellen Ledoux “Laboring Mothers: Reproducing Women and Work in the 18th Century”

04 FEB Sarah Wassberg Johnson “Apples in America: A History”
06 FEB James Taub, Associate Curator, Museum of the American Revolution “Threads of Liberty”
11 FEB Mary Liz Stewart “Underground Railroad”
18 FEB Dr. Elisabeth Paling Funk “The Dutch World of Washington Irving”
21 FEB Chris Conto “The Daring Life of Arent Van Curler”
25 FEB Nancy Newman “Songs and Sounds of the Anti-Rent Movement in Upstate New York”

04 MAR Kevin Bronner “Albany During The American Revolution: Victory In Upstate New York”
11 MAR Prof. LaGarrett King “The African Americans’ Revolution”
14 MAR. Jaap Jacobs “Trade, Theft, and Excessive Expenses: A Year in New Netherland”
18 MAR Craig Siulinski “The Early 20th Century Experience of Polish Immigrants in Schenectady”
21 MAR Multiple Speakers: “Ten Things You Didn’t Know About the American Revolution”
25 MAR Wally Wheeler, “Early Vernacular Architecture in Schenectady County”