Townsend Talks: Unfriendly to Liberty, by Researcher and Author Christopher Minty

Join Christopher Minty of the University of Virginia as he examines the origins of the American Revolution in New York City through the lens of political culture and the development of loyalist networks. Drawn largely from his recent book, Unfriendly to Liberty: Loyalist Networks and the Coming of the American Revolution in New York City, Minty’s talk addresses the complicated relationships between loyalists and patriots in New York, which in turn sheds light on the experiences of the Townsend family of Oyster Bay, who were patriots living under British occupation in a largely loyalist community.

Christopher F. Minty is an editor at the Center for Digital Editing at the University of Virginia, where he works on various projects, including the Papers of George Washington and the Naval documents of the American Revolution. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Stirling, and his research has been supported by Harvard University, the New-York Historical Society, the Huntington Library, and the New York State Archives.

Townsend Talks is a monthly lecture series in which speakers from Long Island and around the country offer fascinating insights into history, decorative arts, architecture, horticulture, and other fields that connect with our site and our mission. Lectures are $20 for museum members, $25 for nonmembers, and $10 for students (with ID) unless otherwise noted. The program begins in the Visitors’ Center and light refreshments are included.