The Life of John Dickinson

The Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides (APT) will hold its next monthly meeting on Wednesday, July 9 at 7 pm. July's speaker will be Doug Thomas of Historic Philadelphia, Inc. who will tell us us about the life of John Dickinson, the "Penman of the Revolution", who opposed independence from Britain but supported the rights of the colonists.

In the decade before the American colonies declared independence, no patriot enjoyed greater renown than John Dickinson. In 1765 he helped lead opposition to the Stamp Act, Britain’s first effort to get colonists to cover part of the mounting cost of the empire through taxes on paper and printed materials. When Parliament passed the Townshend Duties of 1767, Dickinson galvanized colonial resistance by penning Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, a series of impassioned essays widely read on both sides of the Atlantic. Upon hearing of his death, Thomas Jefferson said: ”His name will be consecrated in history as one of the great worthies of the revolution.”

Long-time Dickinson portrayer, Doug Thomas - as himself, not in character - will talk about Dickinson's history and what aspects of this forgotten founder he most enjoys sharing. For almost 30 years, Thomas has been portraying people from American history, using their stories to entertain, inspire, and educate thousands.

Thomas routinely performs for corporate events, universities, international tour groups, patriotic organizations, schools, and libraries, and has had the honor of entertaining Presidents of the United States as well as CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. You can often see him in action at famous locations which include Valley Forge National Historical Park, Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Mount Vernon in Virginia, and the National Archives in Washington, DC.

Over the years, Doug has personally developed and portrayed more than 20 famous characters from history, from the American Revolution into the early 19th century. As the Director of History Makers for Historic Philadelphia, Inc., he directs and trains others in first person interpretation, writes scripts, and works with the program team to vet content for historical accuracy.

In designing historical programs, Doug’s mission is to inspire people and organizations to connect with the past in an entertaining and engaging way, allowing them to create the skills, knowledge, and teamwork that will move them forward and give them hope for the future.

The meeting will held in-person at 114 Market Street on the 2nd floor of Philly’s Gourmet Steaks. Come early for dinner and drinks! The meeting will also be livestreamed on Zoom. The Zoom link will be shared in the APT Tour Talk newsletter the week of the meeting. Non-members should email Marianne Ruane at [president@phillyguides.org](mailto:president@phillyguides.org) no later than 5 pm the day of the meeting to receive the Zoom link. A recording will be available on the APT YouTube page for a month following the talk.

APT meetings are open to aspiring and working tour guides as well as anyone with an interest in Philadelphia-focused history. Attend one meeting for free and then it is $60 to join the association for the year or $10 per monthly meeting in-person event. Zoom meetings are free. Please join us for convivial company, good food, fascinating presentations, and lively discussions.