SPEAKER: The Birth, Death, and Resurrection of John Paul Jones

Description

The Birth, Death, and Resurrection of John Paul Jones Thursday, August 6, 2026, 5:30–6:30 PM Strawbery Banke Museum, 14 Hancock Street, Portsmouth

Dr. Gerald Ward, curator at Portsmouth Historical Society, examines how John Paul Jones has been remembered and reinterpreted over time, tracing the evolving narratives that have shaped his legacy across generations. This talk explores how historical figures are continually reframed, revealing as much about changing American values and memory as about Jones himself.

Dr. Gerald W. R. Ward is curator of the Portsmouth Historical Society and editor of its Portsmouth Marine Society Press. He previously served as Katharine Lane Weems Senior Curator of American Decorative Arts and Sculpture at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. A graduate of Harvard College with a doctorate from Boston University, he has published widely on American art and material culture and currently teaches at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.

Admission: SBM and PHS members $15; Nonmembers $20. About the Revolutionary Portsmouth Lecture Series: The Revolutionary Portsmouth Lecture Series is a collaborative program between Strawbery Banke Museum and Portsmouth Historical Society, presented in conjunction with each organization’s 2026 exhibition, Revolutionary Portsmouth. Through a series of engaging talks, historians and scholars explore the people, events, and everyday experiences that shaped Portsmouth during the American Revolution and its lasting legacy. Lectures rotate between Strawbery Banke Museum and Portsmouth Historical Society.

Please note the location for each program when registering. Admission per lecture is: SBM and PHS members $15; Nonmembers $20. Buy 3 full-price tickets, get additional tickets 25% off with code REV250.