Thomas Paine's Annual Birthdate Celebration


Details
Regster here: https://bityl.co/N6zY
Every January 29th the Freethought Society joins with other sponsors to host a Thomas Paine Birthdate Celebration. The theme for the 2024 event will be The Anti-Slavery Efforts of Thomas Paine.
Pre-registration is required. Email information is only shared with the sponsors of this event. Sponsors of the 2024 event are the Secular Coalition for America, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, the Thomas Paine Memorial Association (TPMA), and the Freethought Society.
Actor Ian Ruskin will present a letter that Paine, posing as a slave, wrote to Thomas Jefferson. Paine wrote using this persona in order to emphasize the urgency in ending the practice of slavery. The letter reveals Paine's insight into the immorality of slavery and his frustration about Jefferson doing nothing to stop it. Jefferson was President at the time. Paine thought that Jefferson should do something — anything — to stop the slave trade and took the President to task for continuing to be the owner of human beings.
The 1809 letter (written 7 months before his death), will shock and amaze the January 29th audience. Paine's words reveal a frustrated and angry abolitionist who had lost patience with those who participated in the debauchery. Paine stood for equality like no other Founding Father and more people should know his legacy.
Event planners Margaret Downey (TPMA president) and Christopher Cameron (TPMA board member) have enlisted the voices of Black leaders, social influencers, educators, politicians, celebrities, and others who are impressed with Paine’s foresight and warnings of civil unrest to end slavery. There are a total of four parts to the “Slave Letter.” Four scheduled commentators will appear after letter segments. More commentators will be added as they are confirmed.

Thomas Paine's Annual Birthdate Celebration