(Niagara At Large is pleased to share with you the following information around taking interesting journeys into our past as Canadian and American neighbours, for your information.)
Anthony S. Pitch Speaks at Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village August 27 at 7pm Award-winning author in town for War of 1812 Bicentennial
Award-winning American history author and former international journalist Anthony S. Pitch (his photo is attached) brings his impassioned speaking style to Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village (3755 Tonawanda Creek Road, Amherst NY 14228) on August 27 at 7pm for his presentation, “The Burning of Washington and the Birth of the Anthem”.
Award-winning author, historian and journalist Anthony Pitch to speak on new War of 1812 book.
This event is part of the Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park’s new Speaker Series, entitled “The War of 1812: A new look at America’s second war of independence.” Admission is free and open to the public. A book signing will follow his presentation. For more information, the public may call the Park at 716-847-1773 ext. 10.
Pitch is a former international journalist who has authored books on American history for the past 30 years, including the award-winning The Burning of Washington: The British Invasion of 1814 and They Have Killed Papa Dead! about President Lincoln’s assassination. Featured in PBS and History Channel documentaries on the War of 1812, among other projects, he is annually invited to speak at Fort McHenry on the anniversary of Francis Scott Key writing the national anthem.
The Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park is the region’s premier resource for military history and the largest inland park of its kind in the United States. The Speaker Series is made possible by a grant from the Buffalo & Erie County Standing Committee of the Niagara River Greenway Commission to the Niagara 1812 Bicentennial Legacy Council for the Park’s bicentennial celebration. Events are scheduled through November 2012 and include:
ô September 5 at 12pm at the Central branch of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library
(1 Lafayette Square, Buffalo NY 14203)
- Speaker Jack Casey discusses his book, A Land Beyond the River, which exemplifies the vision of the Erie Canal as a strategy of war to combat England and France as they vied to monopolize American trade. He retired as parliamentarian of the New York State Senate, maintains a law office in Troy NY and releases two new books this year. His plays, songs and books focus on the visionaries, lovers, rogues and outlaws of Upstate New York’s colorful past and present. A book signing will follow his presentation.
ô September 19 at 4pm at the East Delavan branch of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (1187 East Delavan Avenue, Buffalo NY 14215)
- Speaker Eva M. Doyle talks about the role of African-Americans in the War of 1812, a subject often omitted by history books. She is a retired Buffalo public school teacher with 30 years classroom experience, a historian of African and African-American history and the author of 11 books and more than 1,500 columns. Her column, “Eye on History,” in the Criterion is now 33 years old and the only weekly, consistent column on Black history in Western New York. The recipient of numerous awards for service to the community and education, she most recently was selected as a “Person of the Year” by the Buffalo News.
ô September 21 at 12pm at Forest Lawn Cemetery’s Chapel(1411 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo NY 14209)
Speaker Jack Bilow is a genealogist and author based in Plattsburgh NY, who spent seven years—including 24 weeks at the National Archives in Washington DC—researching his book, A War of 1812 Death Register: Whispers in the Dark, which brings to life the stories of some 20,000 militiamen and sailors who died in the war along the US-Canadian border. The vast majority of the information has never been published before. A book signing will follow. Then at 2pm, Forest Lawn will conduct its weekly one-hour War of 1812 trolley tour through its historic grounds. Historian Pat Kavanagh will share the many fascinating stories connecting Forest Lawn to this historic time on the Niagara Frontier. Trolley tours are $15 per person and reservations are recommended, as space is limited. For tour reservations, please call Forest Lawn at 716-885-1600.
Niagara At Large 