The Historical Society of Frankford (HSF) today announced that it will host historian Jeff Denman speaking at its September 8, 2026 monthly meeting and lecture. Denman will discuss his new book Philadelphia Quakers and the American Revolution, Charlestown, SC: The History Press, 2026.
Fleeing political upheavals in England for settlement in the New World, Quakers rose to unprecedented economic and political power in the Pennsylvania colony. However, the failure of the Quaker-dominated government to provide for defense in the wars from the 1730s into the 1760s was the beginning of their downfall. By the Revolution, their fortunes had waned, and they were brutally suppressed by their political foes. Seventeen Quakers and three others were exiled to Virginia without so much as a hearing, and Quaker farms and businesses were subject to
depredations. Labeled dissenters by Loyalist and Patriot alike, they stood their ground, alone and isolated. The book vividly describes the precipitous rise of the Philadelphia Quakers and their fall during the American Revolution. Copies will be available for purchase and signing.
Denman is a retired American history and geography teacher from the Brookline Public Schools in Brookline, Massachusetts. He has written widely on topics in American history. Denman holds a bachelor of science degree from the University of Maine and a Master of Arts degree from the
University of Connecticut. The meeting and lecture will occur at the HSF library/museum at 1507 Orthodox St, Philadelphia. It will also be livestreamed on the HSF Facebook page. The event is free and open to the public, and free off-street parking is available across Orthodox Street at the Frankford Friends School. Doors open at 7:00 PM. Light refreshments will be served before and after the lecture.