Thomas Paine and Veterans Day 2011, see
http://fortlee.patch.com/articles/thomas-paine-and-veterans-day-in-fort-lee-11-11-11#photo-8419628
Plaque to US founding father Paine is unveiled
DISTINGUISHED guests were invited to unveil the latest blue plaque in Grantham on Wednesday.
Karen E. Huntress of the United States embassy and Ray Burman, president of Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland, were on hand to unveil the plaque to Thomas Paine – one of the founding fathers of the United States.
The Thomas Paine plaque is in The George Centre in Grantham.
Ms Huntress said: “It is wonderful to see such a historical figure be recognised
“Thomas Paine is a wonderful example of the link both the United States and the United Kingdom share and it is very exciting for me, as an American, to see Thomas Paine recognised in this way.”
The blue plaque project has been headed by Courtney Finn of Grantham Civic Society and the Rotary Club of Grantham.
He said: “It’s great to see so many people come along and a real privilege to have Karen here with the president of Rotary International in Great Britain.”
Ms Huntress shared the unveiling duties with Mr Burman of Rotary International, who spent all of Wednesday in Grantham.
After visiting Rotarians behind the Trade Aid scheme, Mr Burman headed to Hougham to visit those behind Kesteven Rideability where he was touched to meet a girl with cerebral palsy whose life had been transformed by the scheme.
After the unveiling, he visited Mencap Fairview Farm, which has received support from Rotarians before a hog roast at Great Ponton was held in his honour.
Mr Burnham said: “I am always amazed by what our Rotarians are doing to support projects in their local community and here in Grantham, I have seen Rotary at its best.
The University of Sussex and Thomas Paine
The University contributed to the Thomas Paine festival in Lewes in 2009 and is now part sponsoring a doctoral thesis “Thomas Paine and radical politics in Lewes”
see the Centre for Intellectual History for the research findings as they start to be posted in 2011
Students from Ashton Sixth form College put Thomas Paine in a contemporary light: a series of four short films- Brilliant!!
Film one: Dragons Den part one
Film two: Dragons Den part two
Tony Benn accepts the position of President of the Thomas Paine Society 2010
Tony Benn said he was ‘delighted and honoured’ to accept the position of President of the Thomas Paine Society at the ceremony to unveil the new statue of Paine at Lewes Library. Benn, who gave the keynote speech before watching a delightful ‘mummers’ play about Paine’s time in Lewes, has been Vice-President for many years and helped found the TPS with Michael Foot in the early 1960s.
Michael Foot, 1913 – 2010: Founding member and president of TPS
Thomas Paine was one of Michael’s heroes; Michael admired him for his unflinching commitment to the cause of equality and freedom for the common people against vested interests and oppression. No mean literary talent himself, Michael loved Paine’s writing style and would enthusiastically read aloud from him at the slightest bidding! It is not surprising that Michael was asked to co-edit The Thomas Paine Reader for Penguin in 1987.
Michael was a founding member of the TPS, was elected to be its first President.
Obama Quotes Paine in Inaugural Speech
“Let it be told to the future world…that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].” from Crisis 1
See discussion of the speech and the quote on opendemocracy.net.
Worldwrite’s ‘Making History: Thomas Paine
The youth education charity WORLDwrite has produced a short film: ‘ Making History: Thomas Paine ‘. It can be seen on their volunteer led online news channel by clicking here. The organisation would be pleased to receive feedback on their efforts.
The National Portrait Gallery Acquires An Important Portrait Of Thomas Paine
The oil painting shownby the French artist Laurent Dabos (1761-1835) was painted about 1791, not long after Paine had written his Rights of Man . It had been in a British private collection since the late 19th century. It fills a major gap in the gallery’s collection. The painting measures 74.3 x 59.1 c
