Local historian Fred Zilian, Ph.D., will lead a series of lectures across Rhode Island this spring and summer marking the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, with a particular focus on the state’s role in the conflict.
Zilian, founder of Pegasus Enrichment Services in Newport, will kick off the series March 21 with “Caty and the General: The Greenes of Rhode Island” at Blithewold Mansion in Bristol. The series includes two Newport County stops: “Rhode Island and the American Revolution” at the Newport Public Library on April 29 at 6 p.m., and “Jefferson, the Declaration, and American Freedom” at the Portsmouth Historical Society on June 25 at 6:30 p.m.
Zilian said he sees the Revolutionary era as relevant to contemporary life, drawing parallels between the debates of that period and those of today — including competing visions of American identity, differing definitions of freedom and deep political divisions.
A former infantry officer who served 21 years in the U.S. Army, Zilian later taught history, ethics and German at Portsmouth Abbey School and served as an adjunct professor at Salve Regina University. He holds a doctorate in international relations and strategic studies from Johns Hopkins University.
Upcoming Lectures in Rhode Island
- March 21, 10:00 a.m. – “Caty and the General: The Greenes of Rhode Island,” Blithewold Mansion, Bristol, RI
- March 24, 6:00 p.m. – “Nathanael Greene: Rhode Island’s Unsung Revolutionary War Hero,” George Hail Library, Warren, RI
- April 8, 6:30 p.m. – “Nathanael Greene: Rhode Island’s Unsung Revolutionary War Hero,” Tiverton Library, Tiverton, RI
- April 16, 7:00 p.m. – “Jefferson, the Declaration, and American Freedom,” Linden Place, Bristol, RI
- April 22, 6:30 p.m. – “Rhode Island and the American Revolution,” Portsmouth Library, Portsmouth, RI
- April 29, 6:00 p.m. – “Rhode Island and the American Revolution,” Newport Public Library, Newport, RI
- May 13, 6:30 p.m. – “Rhode Island and the American Revolution,” Tiverton Library, Tiverton, RI
- June 18, 6:00 p.m. – “Rhode Island and the American Revolution,” Richmond–Carolina Fire Station, Richmond, RI
- June 25, 6:30 p.m. – “Jefferson, the Declaration, and American Freedom,” Portsmouth Historical Society, Portsmouth, RI
- August 20, 6:00 p.m. – “Nathanael Greene: Rhode Island’s Unsung Revolutionary War Hero,” Richmond–Carolina Fire Station, Richmond, RI
The full schedule of lectures runs through August. For more information or to book a speaking engagement, visit pegasusenrichment.com.