Dr. Bonnie Huskins of the University of New Brunswick delivered on Saturday the presentation, Loyalist Women in the American Revolution and New Brunswick, at the Saint John Public Library.
For those who weren’t able to attend the in-person event, the 40-minute presentation was recorded and can now be watched on the New Brunswick Historical Society’s YouTube Channel.
Here’s what it’s about.
The presentation profiles the experiences of a handful of non-elite Loyalist women who navigated the challenges of the American Revolution and resettled in New Brunswick. Much of the social and physical violence they faced in the American colonies was gendered, as were the challenges they faced in exile.
While previous historians, with good reason, have focused on the suffering of these women, this presentation will argue that they were also significant builders of community, who gave navigated the ravages of pregnancy and gave birth in the midst of upheaval, safeguarded the physical and emotional survival of their families, ensured the continuation of family businesses, and created social welfare networks.

Dr. Huskins teaches history at St. Thomas University and the University of New Brunswick, where she is also Adjunct Professor and Loyalist Studies Coordinator.
The New Brunswick Historical Society sponsored the talk, in conjunction with the Saint John Public Library.