March Pub Talk

Science Pub: “A Republic If You Can Keep It:” The Tumultuous History of Celebrating American Independence.
March 3rd, 2026 | 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Sip your favorite brew, while you learn a thing or two! Science Pub is an opportunity to enjoy learning about interesting topics in an informal atmosphere. Just bring your curiosity and a thirst to learn!

There are 2 ways to be at this event:

  1. In Person – Paradise Creek Brewery will be seating indoors at 100% capacity and the pub talk will be broadcast/projected on a the large projection screen in the pub/restaurant area.
  2. Via Zoom – Register for Zoom link HERE. Place a food/drink order for pick up at Paradise Creek Brewery’s Downtown Restaurant – 245 SE Paradise St, Pullman. Local delivery is also available. Tip: Place your order early so it’s ready by Pub talk time.

See the Facebook event HERE

This month’s speakers:

Join Lawrence Hatter and Katy Whalen on March 3rd for their pub talk, “A Republic If You Can Keep It:” The Tumultuous History of Celebrating American Independence.

Americans are preparing to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence during what seems like an unprecedented moment of turmoil and division in the republic. Such national anxiety is nothing new, however. The talk will explore how Americans (and residents of Whitman County in particular) grappled with the tension between celebrating the Revolution and fretting about the future of the republic from the 50th anniversary of 1826 to the bicentennial of 1976.

Dr. Lawrence B. A. Hatter is an associate professor of early American history at WSU. He is the award-winning author of Citizens of Convenience: The Imperial Origins of American Nationhood on the US-Canadian Border and a regular columnist with Spokane’s The Inlander newspaper.

Dr. Katy Whalen is an associate professor (career track) of race, immigration, and labor history in the Pacific Northwest at WSU. She is also the editor of Whitman County Historical Society’s Bunchgrass Historian, a semi-annual periodical dedicated to preserving the county’s history for a public audience.

The image used in the header of this post is a section of the Centennial Dress, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1876, Red and Black Printed Handkerchiefs, Red Crepe Paper Fringe. This dress was likely worn to the 1876 Centennial Convention in Philadelphia, the same place where Susan B. Anthony recited the words of Abigail Adams. The dress is printed with patriotic symbols, like a spread-winged eagle and an image of Memorial Hall. The dress is now part of the Jeff Bridgman Collection.