The Birth, Death, and Resurrection of John Paul Jones
Thursday, August 6, 2026, 5:30–6:30 PM
Strawbery Banke Museum, 14 Hancock Street, Portsmouth

As part of the Revolutionary Portsmouth Lecture Series, a partnership between Portsmouth Historical Society and Strawbery Banke Museum, Dr. Gerald Ward examines how John Paul Jones has been remembered and reinterpreted over time, tracing the evolving narratives that have shaped his legacy across generations. This talk explores how historical figures are continually reframed, revealing as much about changing American values and memory as about Jones himself.

Dr. Gerald W. R. Ward is curator of the Portsmouth Historical Society and editor of its Portsmouth Marine Society Press. He previously served as Katharine Lane Weems Senior Curator of American Decorative Arts and Sculpture at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. A graduate of Harvard College with a doctorate from Boston University, he has published widely on American art and material culture and currently teaches at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.