From Tea to Treason

As communities across the nation begin commemorating America’s upcoming 250th birthday, the Birmingham Public Library’s Southern History Department is inviting residents to kick off the celebration early with a free Revolutionary War-era presentation, commemorative giveaways, and refreshments on Saturday, June 27.

“From Tea to Treason: How Ordinary Colonists Were Drawn into Extraordinary Rebellion” will take place from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at BPL’s Central Library in downtown Birmingham.

The first 50 attendees will receive commemorative gift bags featuring a 250th-anniversary United States commemorative coin, pocket Constitution, and America 250 bookmark. Birmingham-based Milo’s Tea Company is donating 20-ounce bottles of sweet tea for the first 100 attendees, while the Birmingham Genealogical Society will provide refreshments.

Presented by Birmingham historian Terri Hicks, the program will explore the stories, struggles, and turning points that transformed ordinary colonists into revolutionaries and helped forge a new nation.

The presentation is offered in partnership with the Birmingham Genealogical Society and funded through a grant from America250AL. “The 250th anniversary of the United States offers a unique opportunity to reflect on the people and ideas that shaped our nation,” Hicks said. “This program looks beyond the famous names to explore the experiences of ordinary colonists whose choices and sacrifices helped change the course of history.”