BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//sebbo.net//ical-generator//EN NAME:DC Public Library X-WR-CALNAME:DC Public Library BEGIN:VEVENT UID:29f68e17-9744-4bd9-abfa-5f9f825b6ebb SEQUENCE:0 DTSTAMP:20260824T160757Z DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250222T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250222T163000 SUMMARY:A Refutation LOCATION:Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library - Central Library\nMartin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library - Central Library X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Martin Luther King Jr. Mem orial Library - Central Library;X-APPLE-RADIUS=10;X-TITLE=Martin Luther Ki ng Jr. Memorial Library - Central Library:geo:38.8986823,-77.024871 GEO:38.8986823;-77.024871 DESCRIPTION:Join us at MLK Library for A REFUTATION. A powerful theatrical event featuring well known actors exploring the 1793 Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic through dramatic readings by acclaimed actors..\nhttps://dc library.libnet.info/event/12834411 X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

For reasonable accommodations\, pl ease contact the Center for Accessibility at 202-727-2142 or DCPLaccess@dc .gov. For ASL or tactile interpretation\, please allow at least seven (7) days notice.

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A REFUTATION \;presents dramatic readings by acclaimed actors of excerpts from two conflicting hi storic accounts of Philadelphia&rsquo\;s 1793 yellow fever epidemic as a c atalyst for guided audience discussions about health inequities in America today\, grounded in the perspectives of nurses\, caregivers\, and first r esponders.

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The primary text&mdash\;a pamphlet by Absalom Jones (th e first Black Episcopal priest) and Richard Allen (founder of the AME chur ch) describing the Black community&rsquo\;s experience of the epidemic&mda sh\;was the first federally copyrighted text by African American authors. It was written in response to a highly popular\, short history of the epid emic by the Irish American publisher Matthew Carey\, which traded in racis t tropes and asserted that Black nurses and first responders had swindled and extorted the white population of Philadelphia for which they cared. In their pamphlet\, Jones and Allen vigorously refuted Carey&rsquo\;s claims and debunked the medical theory&mdash\;widely held at the time&mdash\;tha t African Americans were immune to yellow fever\, by drawing a stark\, uns paring picture of their service and suffering during the epidemic.

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Featuring pamphlets\, letters\, and rebuttals by Absalom Jones\, Richard Allen\, Matthew Carey\, and Benjamin Rush\, performed by \;Chad Colema n \;(The Walking Dead\, The Wire)\, \;Brí\;an \;F. \ ;O&rsquo\;Byrne \;(Conclave\, Million Dollar Baby)\, \;Michael Pot ts \;(The Wire\, The Piano Lesson)\, and \;Peter Marks \;(form er chief theater critic for \;The Washington Post). \;

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Pre sented by \;Theater of War Productions \;with gen erous support from \;The Greenwall Foundation \;i n celebration of its 75th anniversary.

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In partnership with the&nbs p\;DC Public Library.

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Directed\, adapted\, and fa cilitated by Bryan Doerries.

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\nhttps://dclibr ary.libnet.info/event/12834411 URL;VALUE=URI:https://dclibrary.libnet.info/event/12834411 ATTACH:https://static.libnet.info/images/events/dclibrary/AREFUTATION.png END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR