Speaker Saturday: American Nationalism on the Frontier

Event Information

Date & Time
Saturday, Sep. 12, 2026
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Location Fort Pitt Museum 601 Commonwealth Place
Pittsburgh PA, 15222
Ticketing Included with General Admission
Category

Join the Fort Pitt Museum for an exploration of how American identity took shape before the Revolutionary War.

Black and white illustration of a segmented snake labeled with colonial initials above “JOIN, or DIE.” Text evokes colonial America. *AI generated alt textJay Donis, assistant professor of history at Thiel College, will reveal the surprising origins of unity among the thirteen colonies despite their many differences.

Drawing on the writings of John Adams, Donis considers the idea that the Revolution began not on the battlefield, but in the minds and hearts of the people.

By looking at events in the Trans-Appalachian west, discover how strong local identities coexisted with a growing sense of shared purpose – challenging traditional ideas about when and where American national identity first formed.

Admission

The program is included with regular admission and will take place in the Fort Pitt Auditorium on the museum’s first floor.

About the Speaker

Jay Donis is an Assistant Professor of History at Thiel College. He published research in “The Journal of Early American History, Pennsylvania History: A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies” and the “Register of the Kentucky Historical Society.” He is currently the program chair for the 2026 Pennsylvania Historical Association annual conference.