What The Devil Has He Said?

Reconstructing Patrick Henry’s Unwritten “Liberty or Death” Speech

Witnesses to Patrick Henry’s orations were often at a loss for words when attempting to describe Henry’s unique powers of speech.  Their collective testimony offers insights into Henry’s style of delivery, effects on his audiences, and general themes of his arguments. But specific quotations are uncommon.  Since Henry spoke extemporaneously, no written speeches exist in his own hand.

What sources of inspiration were available to Henry himself for his speech in March 1775?  What information was available to Henry’s first biographer William Wirt, who provided the now familiar written version of the Liberty or Death speech published 17 years after Henry’s death? What new evidence is available to us to evaluate the accuracy of Henry’s Liberty or Death speech 250 years later?

Join public historian, author and exhibit curator Mark Greenough for a journey through time in search of the contents and consequences of Patrick Henry’s most celebrated speech.  Greenough’s deep dive into the historical material was prompted by an especially curious audience member who had questions for him after a private show:  U.S. Senator John Warner. Currently the Tour Supervisor and Historian at the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, Mr. Greenough managed the Liberty or Death Reenactment at St. John’s Church from 1992 to 2003 and was also a regular member of the cast. Of playing Patrick Henry, he reports that he “felt Henry’s presence ‘in the room where it happened’ slowly taking over from me as I became merely his willing messenger.” 

This program will take place at St. John’s Church, 2401 East Broad Street, Richmond VA 23223. Tickets are available for both the 2:45PM program and the Liberty or Death reenactment preceding it at 1:30PM.

Tickets are available at: https://www.historicstjohnschurch.org/events/aug-3-greenough