By Tonya Hopkins aka The Food Griot….
Symbolic Starts…
Americans have this habit of believing things happened in a flash, in one fell swoop -- or on one single day—like TODAY -- July 4th 250 years ago today in 1776. Don't get me wrong, for a host of reasons it's one of my fave holidays but in reality it only represents the symbolic start of what would be an 8 and a half years long war -- not officially wrapping up until September 3, 1783 (when the British finally signed the Treaty of Paris).
Receipts Before the Rebellion — Pre-1776 Drama: A Timeline Check
And we all know by now that it's not the only significant date considered to be the symbolic start of America's break away from England. There's the Boston Massacre (March 5, 1770)... the Boston Tea Party (December 16, 1773) ... then there are at least 3 military battles in 1775 (e.g. Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill...) which were considered civil skirmishes since America didn’t technically exist yet vs. a war against two nations— America vs. the British - which becomes a reality on and after July 4th 1776.
The First Rev War Battle Happened Right Here in MY ‘Hood!( Watermelons were involved)
The Revolutionary War itself didn't actually start until nearly two months after the Declaration was signed -- with its first official and major as in official and BIG wartime battle against the British on August 27th -- which i kid you not -- started with a scuffle in a watermelon patch! It’s known as the Battle of Brooklyn (aka Battle of Long Island). And it all took place right here not just in NYC — in BROOKLYN no less — in MY NEIGHBORHOOD (now Park Slope) near and ON the very street where I live — which is directly across the street (a stone’s throw away — badoom!) from the Old Stone House of Brooklyn a key location which was the heart of that battlefield of a freedom-seeking fight against the Red Coat British — and it stretched some miles into present day Prospect Park and down to what’s now Greenwood Cemetery .… [Stay tuned for more on that juicy scoop in the soon-to-come SUBSTACK August article on this topic]
Against All Odds: 56 Pens vs. A Global Superpower
And let's keep it all in perspective that by declaring independence with the stroke of a pen (or 56 strokes of pens by the 56 signers) did not automatically determine that "we"/they (the Patriots) would actually WIN --- against a massive global superpower. This was just the (official) beginning of it all.
A lot happened after that day of formal declaration. And there's much hidden history between the lines to show and tell.
So STAY TUNED as these uniquely American stories continue to unfold right here and via the many mediums i use. [many mediums to be hyperlinked]
And We Must REMEMBER:
America was multi everything From the START! It’s not pointed out to us enough exactly how multicultural, multiethnic, multiracial — and yes, multi-gendered this fledgling nation was then (and to this day)— straight out the gate and still. Thousands of Black, Brown , Indigenous, immigrant and all kindsa Colored people — oh and WOMEN — AND non-binary freedom fighters helped secure this nation’s ultimate independence. But when we picture Revolutionary soldiers, we’ve been conditioned to only see the white guys — who for sure were there holdin it down too in the biggest numbers — but it wasn’t only them alone.
👉 ➡️ 📽️ WATCH my 6-ish min vid where I break it all down (from a food & drink perspective of course) —about July 4th, July 5th too which by the late 19th Century came to by known as Black Independence Day — and of course lots of food and drink history to connect it all together 🍗🍹🍖
🇺🇸 EXPLORE my AMERICA 250 HUB to dive deeper into inclusive stories of our nation’s earliest eating & drinking days
🖇️ Check out my total 🔗 LINKTREE for myriad ways to see what’s going on at a glance and to subscribe so you don't miss a single bite of this hidden history as it continues to unfold!