March 29, 2026
Washington Crossing Historic Park
Lecture: Coffee Nation: How One Commodity Transformed the Early United States
Sunday, March 29, 2026
1:30pm
Washington Crossing Historic Park is pleased to host a lecture by Dr. Michelle Craig McDonald on her new book, “Coffee Nation: How One Commodity Transformed the Early United States”.
In this fascinating talk, McDonald discusses her book exploring how coffee became central to daily life in colonial America and how coffeehouses emerged as lively hubs for news, debate, and revolutionary ideas. Drawing on the rich collections of the American Philosophical Society, she connects global trade networks to everyday life in Pennsylvania, from Philadelphia’s role as a major international port to the labor systems that supported the coffee trade, including the work of women and the reliance on enslaved people.
This lecture will be offered in a hybrid format, with both in-person and virtual attendance options available. Pre-registration is required for all participants. Click here.
The Friends of Washington Crossing Park’s free lecture series is made possible by our General Level Supporter, America250PA, through the Lecture250 Grant Program.
