The Plight of Loyalists in Massachusetts During the Revolutionary War

It’s been said that history is written by the victors, so it’s not surprising that the story of those loyal to the Crown in the American colonies is not as widely known as that of the Patriots.

As the drumbeat to independence grew louder, Loyalists faced their Patriot neighbors’ scorn and also the agonizing decision of whether or not to flee their towns and homes.

Various historians have estimated that between 60,000 and 100,000 people fled the colonies by the time “America’s first civil war” ended.

Dr. Kerpelman will present a picture of how ordinary Massachusetts Loyalists and their Patriot neighbors interacted with one another during that fraught time between the 1750’s and the 1790’s.

$10 non-members

Larry C. Kerpelman, Ph.D., is a freelance writer and communications professional from Acton, Massachusetts. Upon retiring as Vice president and Director of Corporate Communications after 30 years from the Cambridge, Massachusetts research and consulting firm Abt Global, he turned to researching, writing, and speaking on singular moments in American history. He has published articles in American History, American Heritage, The Boston Globe, The Rochester Review, and The Chronicle of Higher Education, among other publications. Dr. Kerpelman holds a B.A. from the Johns Hopkins University and a Ph.D. from the University of Rochester.