Explore Indigenous History in the Revolution and Beyond in Third 2025-2026 Read the Revolution Speaker Series Event, April 16

Lecture on award-winning title, The Rediscovery of America, inspired by 250th anniversary of United States Declaration of Independence 

Dr. Ned Blackhawk, Howard R. Lamar Professor of History and American Studies at Yale University, will join the Museum on Wednesday, April 16, at 6:30 p.m., to present the third public program in the Museum’s 2025-2026 Read the Revolution Speaker Series. The hybrid lecture and discussion on Blackhawk’s award-winning 2023 title, The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History, coincides with the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026 and the Museum’s new special exhibition, The Declaration’s Journey, presented by Griffin Catalyst. 

According to publisher Yale University Press, “Blackhawk’s retelling of U.S. history acknowledges the enduring power, agency, and survival of Indigenous peoples, yielding a truer account of the United States and revealing anew the varied meanings of America.” The Rediscovery of America won the 2023 National Book Award in Nonfiction, the 2024 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award in Nonfiction, and the 2024 Mark Lynton History Prize. Blackhawk’s lecture will interweave centuries of Native and non‑Native histories and this year’s Semiquincentennial celebration for the nation, as is also addressed in The Declaration’s Journey. Following the presentation, Museum President and CEO Dr. R. Scott Stephenson will host an interview conversation and facilitate a live Q&A with both onsite and online audiences. 

Doors open at 6 p.m. for onsite guests to see a featured artifact, enjoy refreshments at a cash bar, and purchase signed copies of the featured book. Guests with onsite tickets are invited to arrive early to view The Declaration’s Journey from 5:15 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here.  

The Museum’s Read the Revolution Speaker Series brings celebrated authors and historians to the Museum for lively discussions of their work. Now in its ninth season, the series is based on the Museum’s national Read the Revolution bi-monthly e-newsletters, which feature excerpts from thought-provoking books to inspire learning about the American Revolution.  

About Dr. Ned Blackhawk 

Ned Blackhawk is the Howard R. Lamar Professor of History at Yale University where he researches and teaches about Native American and U.S. history. He is co-director of the Native American and Indigenous Studies Certificate in Yale College; faculty coordinator of the Yale Group for the Study of Native America; and co-director of the NYU-Yale American Indian Sovereignty Project, a multi-institutional research and advocacy initiative that aims to redress misunderstandings of federal Indian law and support the scholarly development of American Indian legal history. Author and/or co-editor of four works in Indigenous history, his most recent monograph, The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History (Yale U.P., 2023) won many national awards, including the National Book Award, and has been translated into eight foreign languages. His current work focuses on the aftermath of the Seven Years’ War in British North America and the place of Native nations in the unfolding Revolutionary War, portions of which have been featured and/or are forthcoming in The Boston Globe and The Atlantic. He is an enrolled member of the Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada.   

 About Museum of the American Revolution  

The Museum of the American Revolution uncovers and shares compelling stories about the diverse people and complex events that sparked America’s ongoing experiment in liberty, equality, and self-government. Through the Museum’s unmatched collection, immersive galleries, powerful theater experiences, and interactive elements, visitors gain a deeper appreciation for how this nation came to be and feel inspired to consider their role in ensuring that the promise of the American Revolution endures. Located just steps away from Independence Hall, the Museum serves as a portal to the region’s many Revolutionary sites, sparking interest, providing context, and encouraging exploration. The Museum, which opened on April 19, 2017, is an independent, non-profit, and non-partisan organization. For more information, visit www.AmRevMuseum.org or call 877.740.1776.