On April 10, 2026, UCLA’s Clark Library hosted a conference on “The Meaning of the American Revolution.” Scholars from various universities shared their interpretations and understanding of the Revolution and examined how the Revolution continues to shape and divide interpretations of American history.
Dr. Johann Neem, from Western Washington University, challenged the understanding of the American Revolution. Examining the life of Lemuel Haynes, a Black minister who supported the Revolution while recognizing its limits, Neem highlighted how the ideas of liberty coexisted with inequalities such as slavery. Neem connected these tensions to present day debates, where understanding history is often condensed to systemic divisions, and urged a “both/and” understanding rather than a traditional or biased narrative of the Revolution. Finally, Neem called for a more balanced and inclusive approach to understanding history and the American Revolution.
Dr. Brad Jones, from California State University Fresno, challenged traditional views by reexamining Loyalists, who are often regarded as traitors—and self-interested—in the traditional understanding of the American Revolution. Jones argued that loyalism was an ingrained political ideology rooted in support for monarchy, constitutional order, and Protestant identity. Through Loyalist writings and responses to events like the Continental Congress and the Franco-American Alliance, Jones argued that many Loyalists saw themselves as defenders of liberty. Jones’s reexamination of Loyalists provided an argument that contested with the traditional understanding of Loyalists. Together, the talks emphasized the Revolution not just as a fight for independence, but as a deeply contested search for identity and purpose, and a complex historical moment.
-Angel Garibay Chavez, Student at California State University, Fresno
