August 17, 2020

USS Constitution Museum Hosts “Protecting Global Commerce” Discussion

CHARLESTOWN, MA (August 17, 2020)—The USS Constitution Museum will host Protecting Global Commerce: From USS Constitution to the South China Sea, a free virtual panel discussion on Wednesday, August 26 at 4 p.m.

Throughout the first half of the 1800s, “Old Ironsides” was deployed to locations around the globe to protect American maritime commerce and interests. Keeping seaways open and safe for American ships passing through far-flung locales was a fundamental goal in the creation of the US Navy and USS Constitution. Today, US Navy ships are still stationed and patrolling waters around the world to protect maritime commerce and freedom of navigation in increasingly volatile regions such as the South China Sea.

In this virtual panel discussion, the USS Constitution Museum brings together three experts to discuss Constitution‘s history of protecting maritime commerce and how that legacy is reflected in the deployments of US Navy ships to tense sea lanes around the world today. What lessons does “Old Ironsides” offer us for guidance in understanding overseas naval presence today? How do global issues of maritime security affect commerce coming to and from American shores today and how does that compare to the 19th-century commerce Constitution sought to protect?

Panelists:

• Robert Allison, Professor of History at Suffolk University, and author of The Crescent Obscured: The United States and the Muslim World 1776-1815
• James Holmes, the J. C. Wylie Chair of Maritime Strategy at the U.S. Naval War College, and author of Red Star over the Pacific: China’s Rise and the Challenge to U.S. Maritime Strategy
• Rockford Weitz, Director of the Maritime Studies Program at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and an entrepreneur in maritime logistics and support.

The program will be moderated by Carl Herzog, Public Historian for the USS Constitution Museum, with questions and input from virtual attendees.

Registration for this free discussion is required on the panel’s Eventbrite page. More information is available on the Museum’s website.

This event has been made possible by a National Endowment for the Humanities: CARES Act Grant.

The USS Constitution Museum is currently open to the public Thursday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The Museum is also offering digital visitor experiences including videos, blog posts, collection highlights, and more. Every day the Virtual Museum disseminates dynamic content through its social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and the website usscm.org.

About the USS Constitution Museum

The USS Constitution Museum serves as the memory and educational voice of USS Constitution by collecting, preserving, and interpreting the stories of “Old Ironsides” and those associated with her. This award-winning non-profit provides an environment where inter-generational groups seeking an enjoyable and educational experience can have fun while learning and exploring history together. The Museum’s mission is to engage all ages in the story of Constitution to spark excitement about maritime heritage, naval service, and the American experience. For more information, visit usscm.org.