The Evolution of Colonial Williamsburg

Telling the Story of America: The Evolution of Colonial Williamsburg

Join us for this talk and book signing! What began as a project to preserve the colonial town gradually came to encompass an even broader ambition: to tell the story of the nation’s origins. This talk chronicles how that storytelling evolved from what was strictly a celebration of the Founding Fathers to more comprehensive and nuanced presentations of American history. Those presentations came to include first-person interpretations of historical figures, and the stories of not just famous Founders but also of lesser-known figures, among them African Americans, women and Indigenous people. Arrive early to explore the exhibition that connects to this program Colonial Williamsburg: The First 100 Years, open one hour before the event begins. Book signing to follow the talk.

Paul Aron is the author of That the Future May Learn from the Past: 100 Years of Colonial Williamsburg. His previous books include American Stories, Founding Feuds, Why The Turkey Didn’t Fly and We Hold These Truths . . . And Other Words That Made America.