Prof. Richard Bell from the History Department of the University of Maryland, will discuss his book, “The American Revolution and the Fate of the World.”

Join writer Derek Baxter for a discussion about his book The Forgotten World War: Exploring the Secret History of the American Revolution, from Spain to India and Back Again. The Revolutionary War wasn’t just fought in the Thirteen Colonies—it was a world war, spanning four continents. To discover more, Baxter embarks on an adventure-filled quest across the globe. He finds the human stories behind this long-ago conflict, expanding the universe of those who contributed to the cause, including the French, Spanish, Dutch, Oneida Indians, and Mysore Kingdom of India. And he profiles heroes of the Revolution, including George Washington, the Marquis de Lafayette, Benjamin Franklin, and Bernardo de Galvez.

Allan Hoffman, Esq., President, American Friends of Lafayette and author of Lafayette in America in 1824 and 1825: Journal of a Voyage to the United States, will speak on the subject, “Lafayette: Hero of the American Revolution and abolitionist.” 

Eric Conrad, the great-great-great-great-great-grandson of Betsy Ross, discusses his 2026 bike ride - “Original 13 Odyssey” - to state capitals and historical sites. Conrad's trip retraces parts of a route he first completed as a 20-year-old during the 1976 United States Bicentennial. He mapped his trip to coincide with the nation's 250th birthday, riding down the East Coast and stopping at significant Revolutionary War sites, state capitals, and national monuments