To celebrate the opening of Treason of the Blackest Dye, the 2024 Pocantico Fall Forum will provide a local perspective on Major John André’s remarkable capture in Tarrytown during the American Revolution and why the spy’s fame eclipsed the reputation of his captors.
Using historical images of the capture and the local militiamen responsible, Dr. Sara Mascia, executive director of the Historical Society of Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow, will reflect on why local militiamen John Paulding, David Williams, and Isaac Van Wart, who captured André as he fled toward New York City, have often been overlooked, diminished, or vilified. Dr. Mascia will explore the rise of André’s persona in popular culture, as well as the historical importance and consequences of his capture.
Guests will be able to view Treason of the Blackest Dye, an exhibition of original documents and artifacts from André’s capture, during a pre-forum reception beginning at 6:00 p.m. The lecture will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Carriage Room of the Coach Barn at Pocantico.
This event is presented in partnership with Revolutionary Westchester 250.
This event will be livestreamed via the Rockefeller Brothers Fund YouTube channel.
Dr. Sara F. Mascia, Ph.D.
Historical Archaeologist, Author, & Professor
Dr. Sara F. Mascia completed her Ph.D. in historical archaeology with a secondary area of historic preservation from Boston University. She is vice president of the cultural resource management firm Historical Perspectives Inc. and an assistant professor at SUNY Westchester Community College. She is also the executive director of The Historical Society, Inc. Serving Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown, the village historian of Tarrytown, and the author of numerous publications and presentations.
