LA PLATA, Md. (Aug. 22, 2008)—The College of Southern Maryland and the Charles County 350th Celebration Committee, in cooperation with the Charles County Heritage Commission present local author and historian Linda Reno Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. on CSM’s La Plata Campus, as part of the CSM Friday Lecture series focusing on the history of Charles County.
Reno’s lecture, “The Maryland 400 in the Battle of Long Island, 1776,” will focus on the citizens from Charles County that participated in this battle.
“For far too long the important role that the people of Charles County played in the settlement, development and expansion of the United States as we know it today has been overlooked. The story of the Maryland 400 is just one of these instances,” said Reno.
In 1776 the 400 soldiers from Maryland held off 20,000 British and Hessian soldiers in one of the fiercest battles of the Revolutionary War.
“History should be more than simply memorizing a series of events, dates and places and I hope that this lecture will leave attendees wanting to know more about Charles County and Maryland history,” she said.
The lecture series, which focuses on various aspects of Charles County history, began with Scott Hill’s lecture on the patriots of Charles County and their contribution to the Revolutionary War. Vincent Leggett and his lecture on the Underground Railroad and its various locations in Charles County was the second installment of the series followed by CSM Professor Christine Arnold-Lourie and her lecture on life in Charles County during the 19th century.
The lectures will continue with Father Ed O’Connell of St. Ignatius Chapel Point on Oct. 3 and Dr. Julia King of St. Mary’s College of Maryland on Nov. 7. The lectures begin at 7 p.m. and will be held on the La Plata Campus in the Center for Business and Industry Building, Room BI-113.
As Charles County celebrates 350 years during 2008, CSM’s lecture series is just one of many events, publications, and displays that are planned throughout the year for all ages. For information as Charles County “Celebrates the Past and Embraces the Future” to honor its 350th anniversary, call 301-885-1342 or visit http://www.explorecharlescountymd.com/350th/ .