A conference at the Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library later this week will examine how women on Long Island lived, worked and endured during the American Revolution, when the island spent more than seven years under British occupation.
The program, titled “Women and the American Revolution on Long Island,” is scheduled for Friday at the library, located at 407 William Floyd Parkway in Shirley, running from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
After the 1776 Battle of Long Island, British forces controlled the region for more than seven years, longer than anywhere else in the country. During that time, many women were forced to house British officers, saw farms and food confiscated, and struggled to maintain households amid wartime uncertainty.
Library Director Lonna Castro said the event aims to highlight stories often overlooked in traditional accounts of the Revolutionary War and to explore the challenges women faced while supporting families and communities.
Four historians and researchers will present talks examining different perspectives on women’s lives during the era, including the experiences of enslaved women, Quaker pacifism, household survival and the daily realities of communities living alongside military camps.
Presentations will feature historian Natalie A. Naylor, archivist Melanie Cardone-Leathers, Friends Academy archives director Karly Hoenzsch and culinary historian Diane Schwindt, whose research explores domestic life, culture and food traditions of the eighteenth century.
Joseph Maiorana, president of the library’s board of trustees, said the program also connects local residents with Long Island’s role in the nation’s founding as the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of independence.
The conference will include a continental breakfast, refreshments and a networking dessert reception featuring treats inspired by eighteenth century recipes. The event is free and open to the public, though registration is required through the library website: CommunityLibrary.org.
Organizers encourage residents, students and history enthusiasts to attend Friday.