Former Sea Cliff Mayor Ed Lieberman is preparing a presentation exploring the history of the United States to be delivered in celebration of the country’s semi quincentennial anniversary. He will be accompanied by local musician Frank Ferrara, whose performances will be woven throughout the presentation.
Lieberman presents on historical topics periodically in Sea Cliff. The semi quincentennial talk, titled “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness,” is set for 4 p.m. on May 14 at the Sea Cliff Village Library.
Library Director Camille Purcell asked him roughly a year ago to hold the educational presentation, Lieberman said. It will consist of roughly 180 slides, detailing the nation’s history through key events and people in chronological order. Lieberman will discuss topics like the Enlightenment, the Founding Fathers, the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War, the Gettysburg Address and Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.
“It’s almost like a review of all high school classes dealing with the history of the United States during this period,” Lieberman said, “and it may stir someone, ‘Oh, yeah, I remember that’.”
In addition to his background as a history major and lawyer, Lieberman said that from 2004 to 2008, he primarily read works about the Founding Fathers. He studied the history of the United States throughout high school, college, law school and continues to do so now.
“As someone who was born on Flag Day,” Lieberman said, “and I did a flag day presentation a couple years back, I’ve always been attuned to American history.”
The presentation will be a multimedia experience, including the use of historical maps, portraits, and commentary. Lieberman will also spend some time speaking about Long Island’s history, such as the Washington Spy Trail which ran along the North Shore.
In addition to discussing major events and people in American history, Lieberman will take what he called “side trips” during the presentation. These will feature both historical and personal stories.
“I think I found the right angle on this to be both informative, to do it in chronological order, take some historical side trips,” Lieberman said, “and then come back to where we are with a deep appreciation of what we have and how many people had to sacrifice for us to have that.”
He added that one of these additional stories will revolve around Ohio’s Marietta College, where Lieberman completed his bachelor’s degree. Marietta was the first U.S. settlement in the Northwest Territory in 1788.
While Lieberman said he generally likes to keep the specific music for his discussions “under wraps,” the semi quincentennial talk will include performances from Ferrara as well as other complementary tunes. Ferrara has joined Lieberman for several other presentations.
Lieberman said that his goal with the event is to help people appreciate the historical context within which the country’s founders worked to secure freedom and liberty as well as understand misgivings they may have had along the way.
“I’m feeling that this is going to be, for me, a real highlight,” he said, “and I’m hoping that people will attend and enjoy it and then take it with them.”
