The Shoemaker and the Tea Party

The extraordinary tale of how a Boston shoemaker became an enduring symbol for the American Revolution

A limited Beacon Classics edition, with a gorgeous spot gloss cover and retro, classic palette

George Robert Twelves Hewes, a Boston shoemaker who participated in such key events of the American Revolution as the Boston Massacre and the Tea Party, might have been lost to history if not for his longevity and the historical mood of the 1830's. When the Tea Party became a leading symbol of the Revolutionary ear 50 years after the actual event, this 'common man' in his nineties was 'discovered' and celebrated in Boston as a national hero.

Young pieces together this fascinating account of an ordinary person involved in extraordinary events, adding new insights about the role that individual and collective memory play in shaping our understanding of history.

Alfred F. Young is senior research fellow at the Newberry Library in Chicago and professor emeritus of history at Northern Illinois University. He lives in Oak Park, Illinois.