Radio Host Mark R. Levin Donates Rare Revolutionary War Letter to Hillsdale College

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Hillsdale College's Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship recently received the gift of a rare and significant letter dating to the earliest days of the American Revolution. The document was donated to the College by the family of nationally syndicated radio and television talk show host Mark R. Levin.

Dated June 4, 1775, the letter is from Joseph Warren, chairman of the Committee of Safety for Massachusetts; Artemas Ward, general of the Massachusetts army; and Moses Gill, chairman of the Committee of Supplies. In the letter, the writers desperately request gunpowder from New York less than two weeks before the Battle of Bunker Hill, one of the first engagements of the war for independence. The leader of patriot forces in Boston, Warren was killed at Bunker Hill and his corpse desecrated by the British, ensuring his status as the first great martyr of the American Revolution.

"This extraordinary document, signed by America's first revolutionary martyr, reminds us of the principles and the sacrifices of those who founded this country," said Matthew Spalding, associate vice president and dean of educational programs for Hillsdale College's Kirby Center. "We invite everyone—especially members of Congress and their staff, who are only blocks away—to visit the Kirby Center to see this beautiful reminder of the costs of self-government."

"Hillsdale College doesn't disappoint. It lives up to its reputation for academic excellence and continues to be a bright, shining beacon of hope for the salvation of America's principles," said Levin, host of Westwood One's "The Mark Levin Show." "The Kirby Center is the ideal home to display this historically significant letter for all to see. I am delighted to give this opportunity to the faculty, students, and visitors of the College's D.C. campus."

The letter will be on display at the Kirby Center beginning December 10. Also on display is a rare first edition of The Federalist, another gift from the Levin family. The volume was commissioned by Alexander Hamilton and published in 1788 to influence the debate over the ratification of the Constitution. 

The exhibition is open to the general public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Interested parties should call the Kirby Center at (202) 600-7300 ahead of their planned visit to ensure there are no conflicts with Kirby Center events and closures. For further information on the Kirby Center, visit kirbycenter.hillsdale.edu.

For photos, click here.

About the Kirby Center

The Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship is an extension of the teaching mission of Hillsdale College to Washington, D.C. Its purpose is to teach the Constitution and the principles that give it meaning. Through the study of original source documents from American history—and of older books that formed the education of America's founders—the Center seeks to inspire students, teachers, citizens, and policymakers to return the Constitution to its central place in the political life of the nation.

About Hillsdale College

Hillsdale College is an independent liberal arts college located in southern Michigan. Founded in 1844, the College has built a national reputation through its classical liberal arts core curriculum and its principled refusal to accept federal or state taxpayer subsidies, even indirectly in the form of student grants or loans. It also conducts an outreach effort promoting civil and religious liberty, including a free monthly speech digest, Imprimis, with a circulation of more than 3.9 million. For more information visit hillsdale.edu. 

SOURCE Hillsdale College

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