About

Revolutionary War patriot Patrick Henry is often referred to as “The Voice of Liberty.” His colleagues, whether they agreed with him or not, still understood his role of leadership and influence before, during, and after the American Revolution.

On March 14 at 7 pm on Zoom, Patrick Henry’s descendant Patrick Henry Jolly will present a talk as part of the Salem Museum’s Speaker Series. He will describe the personal and professional life of this American Patriot.

After his public career ended, Patrick Henry retired to Red Hill, a 700-acre plantation in Charlotte County, Virginia. He referred to the site as “one of the garden spots of the world,” and it would become his last home and final resting place. After 150 years in the Henry family, Red Hill has been designated the National Memorial for Patrick Henry and is dedicated to educating the public about Patrick Henry and the story of his life on the beautiful grounds of his “garden spot.”

Patrick Henry Jolly is Patrick Henry’s fifth great-grandson. Jolly has been speaking since 1992 on a variety of topics related to the personal and professional life of his ancestor. His living history presentations, which include “Liberty or Death,” are often performed in character as Patrick Henry.

On July 4, 2026, the United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In preparation for this significant anniversary, the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250) is encouraging programming to commemorate the Revolution. This talk is a VA250 event.

The Salem Museum’s Thursday evening Speaker Series program will be held on Zoom in March to avoid any inclement winter weather. Zoom links will be posted on the Salem Museum’s website: Salem Museum.org, on the day of the event. Programs will return to in-person in Spring.