As part of the 2026 Leisler Lectures, Dr. Thomas Wermuth speaks on food riots during the Revolutionary War, which occurred primarily in the Hudson Valley. While armies battled throughout New York in the 1770s, the Hudson Valley “homefront” suffered food shortages, high costs, and price gouging storekeepers. Riotous crowds took matters into their own hands by participating in market seizures and price riots, and even threatened to pull their support for the war.
Date/Time: Thursday, April 23, 6-7:30pm
Location: Hudson Area Library Community Room
Registration: Free and open to the public.
The Jacob Leisler Library Lectures are made partially possible through the generous support of the Van Dyke Family Foundation, HRBT Foundation, and Bank of Greene County Charitable Foundation.
Thomas S. Wermuth is the Frank T. Bumpus Chair of Hudson River Valley History at Marist University where he teaches courses in American history and Hudson Valley studies. His new book, Fire & Freedom: The American Revolution in New York is available from Cornell University Press.