The Lake Tahoe Chapter, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), along with Tahoe Arts Project and Lake Tahoe Community College, invites the public to a very special presentation by Living Voices. This will be held on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., at the college’s Aspen Room (adjacent to the Roberta Mason Library). Reserve your FREE ticket here (Google Chrome or Firefox works best).
Living Voices presentations are dynamic solo performances combined with archival films that transform history into a moving, personal journey. This presentation features actor Jesse Smith, interpreting the actual times of America’s Revolutionary War. You will hear about how America really guaranteed liberty and justice for all. You will experience the Revolutionary War, the founding of the United States and the concept of “all men are created equal” from the unique point of view of a free Black colonist.
We often think of the American Revolution as a unified struggle of “Americans vs. British,” but historians frequently describe it as America’s first civil war. We in fact were a divided nation. It wasn’t just a colonial uprising against a distant crown; it was a violent internal conflict that tore apart families, neighborhoods, and the social fabric of the colonies.
The population was far from unanimous in its desire for independence. Historians describe the colonies as three primary groups: Patriots, Loyalists, and Neutralists. Patriots comprised one-third of the population who supported the break from Britain. The Loyalists (Tories) were one-third of those who remained loyal to King George III. Neutralists were the final third who simply wanted to be left alone or were waiting to see which side would win. These groups were each made up of people of different races, genders, wealth, and religions.
The war pitted brother against brother because the divide was ideological rather than strictly geographic. The fighting often happened between neighbors. Families were fractured. A famous example is Benjamin Franklin, a staunch Patriot, whose son William Franklin remained a Loyalist governor. They never reconciled. Local militias, particularly in the South, were where the war was fought between local Patriot militias and local Loyalist militias. These skirmishes were often more brutal and personal than the formal battles between the Continental Army and the British Regulars.
Often forgotten in our history is the role of Native Americans and Enslaved People. Native American Tribes that roamed for years and worked with their fellow nations became involved. For instance, the Iroquois Confederacy was shattered by the war. The Oneida and Tuscarora backed the Americans, while the Mohawk and others backed the British, leading to indigenous groups fighting one another.
Thousands of enslaved and free black people had to choose which side offered a better chance at freedom. Many joined the British “Lord Dunmore’s Ethiopian Regiment,” after being promised manumission and better lives, while others fought for the Continental Army in hopes of securing liberty in the new republic.
Join DAR for an evening of information and perhaps a new perspective.
Doors open at 6:15 p.m. and refreshments will be provided following the performance.
Lake Tahoe Unified School District students will also see this presentation thanks to the efforts of Tahoe Arts Project at schools during the same week. If you have any questions about our evening, or if you’re curious about whether you might have a long-lost relative who helped in the Revolutionary War, reach out to DAR Lake Tahoe Chapter Regent Jini Becktell at jinibecktell@gmail.com. More information can also be found on their website HERE.