Supporting scholarship and promoting popular understanding of the American Revolution is central to the work of the American Revolution Institute. The Institute welcomes distinguished scholars and authors to share their insights and discuss their latest research with the public at Anderson House through lectures, author's talks and panel discussions. The Institute also hosts a variety of other historical programs throughout the year, including our Lunch Bite object talks, battlefield tours, special Anderson House tour programs and other events. Many of the events we offer are free.
October 2025
Virtual Lecture—Bayou Patriots? Louisiana Milita and the American Revolution
Comprised of Spanish, Creole French, Acadian, German and free Black soldiers, the efforts of the Spanish Louisiana militia during Gen. Bernardo de Galvez’s campaign against British positions on the Gulf Coast was instrumental in forcing the British military to expend manpower and resources away from the rebellious thirteen colonies. Rhett Breerwood, command historian of the Louisiana National Guard, discusses the role of Spanish Louisiana’s militia during these events, as well as its legacy as it eventually came under American authority…
Find out more »November 2025
Author’s Talk— The American Revolution and the Fate of the World
The American Revolution was a cataclysm that pulled in participants from around the globe and fundamentally transformed how the world worked, disrupting trade, restructuring penal systems, stirring famine and creating the first global refugee crisis. Drawing from his new book that repositions the Revolution at the center of an international web, historian Richard Bell, Ph.D., of the University of Maryland discusses the impact of the Revolution at home and abroad by grounding the narrative in the gripping stories of individuals…
Find out more »Panel Discussion—The Archaeology of the American Revolution
Richard Veit, Ph.D., professor of anthropology at Monmouth University, moderates a panel of contributors to a new anthology that offers new interpretations of the Revolutionary War, The Archaeology of the American Revolution. Drawing from select works within the volume, panelists will connect historical narratives with material culture, explore how cutting-edge archaeological methods and technology have illuminated previously undiscovered sites, and examine how material remnants and memorials shape the ways the war is remembered. Registration is requested. To attend the author’s…
Find out more »From The Vault—Military Training in the 18th Century
Join library staff, along with historian Steven Elliot, Ph.D., for a special program exploring selections from our library collections relating to military training during the American Revolution and the long eighteenth century. This special viewing will allow guests to explore rare items—including military treatises, orderly books and training manuals—up close while learning about the various tactics and practices used to train soldiers in eighteenth-century armies. This program will be held in-person only. Registration is limited and will be honored on…
Find out more »December 2025
Battlefield Tour—Revolutionary Charleston
Join us in Charleston, S.C., as we explore two important events of the American Revolution: the Battle of Sullivan’s Island and the Siege of Charleston. This two-day experience will include a Friday evening dinner and lecture given by independent historian Cordell Bragg discussing Gen. William Moultrie and the Battle of Sullivan’s Island, fought on June 28, 1776. The following day, a day-long guided tour will explore the various locations that encompassed the 1776 battle and the 1780 siege, including Fort…
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