Profile
Mission
Statement
Statement
TRAR provides public access to multimedia presentations to educate our fellow citizens about what really happened during the American Revolution; to disabuse myths that hide our patriotic past while enhancing public and student knowledge of our revolutionary history in a highly educational, interactive and entertaining manner.
Nonprofit
Organization
Organization
The Real American Revolution (TRAR) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization, chartered as a Virginia Corporation on September 20, 2019.
What
We Do
We Do
Physically located in professional studios in West Falls Church, Virginia, The Real American Revolution uses multimedia presentations to educate Americans about what really happened during our War for Independence from Great Britain. By interviewing noted Historians, Authors, Educators, National and State Park Rangers, Archeologists, Curators, Historic Home Site and Living History Interpreters, and Public Officials, listeners and viewers will gain multiple perspectives about the Leaders, Issues, Events, Conflicts, Battles, and Cultures that were impacted during that period of history.
Why TRAR Was Established
The Real American Revolution was established to provide researched, documented multimedia presentations to correct myths that are portrayed as truths about our heritage and to address a very serious problem in America: An abysmal lack of knowledge of U.S. History and Civics. National surveys and statistics continue to reflect that Americans know less and less about our American history and government, and lack considerable knowledge about the American Revolution in particular.
National studies over the past ten years show that American knowledge of our own history is declining in our schools. Students simply do not understand the basic fundamentals of how our nation was established or the concepts on which our country was founded. This is particularly true of our American Revolution period (1763 and 1789). National studies underscore a serious knowledge deficit and pose an educational failure. In 2014, a National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) study (1) (U.S. Department of Education) reported that 25% or more 8th Grade students scored 23% knowledge in Civics and 18% in U.S. History, while an American Bar Association 2005 study (2) found that 50% of all Americans were unable to identify our three branches of government. In 2016, the Center for Survey Research and Analysis, University of Connecticut study (3) requested by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) and designed to measure students' knowledge of American history and government among elite colleges, showed that 65% of college seniors failed to pass high school level American history tests, and 50% could not identify the purpose of the Federalist Papers.
Equally disturbing, Historic site visitations (4) declined by more than one-third from 1982 to 2012 in all age groups, and in 2012 alone, only 24% of Americans age 18 or older had visited a historic site the previous year. The downward spiral of Americans knowing less and less about American history and civics is nothing new. In 1985, Education reformer Diane Ravitch (5) said "The fundamental premise of our democratic form of government is that political power derives from the informed consent of the people. Informed consent requires a citizenry that is rational and knowledgeable".
How are young people to become our leaders of tomorrow, in government and business, if they are learning less history than ever before? Leaders cannot deal effectively with problems in the future unless they learn the lessons of the past. In order to govern our nation intelligently, future policymakers must have a basic understanding of our American heritage: How the United States was formed from thirteen individual Nation-States; how our government works; and why Geography, Science, Economics, Culture and STEM are important. Planning, organizing, and implementing educational programs associated with celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution are already underway in many of the thirteen original states and elsewhere. The Real American Revolution provides a unique opportunity to help fill the information void by reeducation Americans about their true heritage and foster a greater appreciation for the diversity that brought us to where we are today.
1 Richmond, Emily. "Another Piece of Evidence That America's Students Know Little About Their Country: Eighth Graders continue to display far from sufficient knowledge about geography, civics and history", theatlantic.com, April 29, 2015.
2 Hansen, Mark. "Flunking Civics: Why America's Kids Know So Little", abajournal.com, May 1, 2011.
3 Cole, Jonathan R. "Ignorance Does Not Lend to Election Bliss: Perhaps the country's political state owes itself to the failures of its educational system", theatlantic.com, November 8, 2016.
4 Fresh evidence in declining American interest in historic sites", historynewsnetwork.org, reprinted from Humanities indicators (American Academy of Arts and Sciences), February 22, 2016.
5 Ravitch, Diane. "Decline and Fall of Teaching History", The New York Times, November 17, 1985.
National studies over the past ten years show that American knowledge of our own history is declining in our schools. Students simply do not understand the basic fundamentals of how our nation was established or the concepts on which our country was founded. This is particularly true of our American Revolution period (1763 and 1789). National studies underscore a serious knowledge deficit and pose an educational failure. In 2014, a National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) study (1) (U.S. Department of Education) reported that 25% or more 8th Grade students scored 23% knowledge in Civics and 18% in U.S. History, while an American Bar Association 2005 study (2) found that 50% of all Americans were unable to identify our three branches of government. In 2016, the Center for Survey Research and Analysis, University of Connecticut study (3) requested by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) and designed to measure students' knowledge of American history and government among elite colleges, showed that 65% of college seniors failed to pass high school level American history tests, and 50% could not identify the purpose of the Federalist Papers.
Equally disturbing, Historic site visitations (4) declined by more than one-third from 1982 to 2012 in all age groups, and in 2012 alone, only 24% of Americans age 18 or older had visited a historic site the previous year. The downward spiral of Americans knowing less and less about American history and civics is nothing new. In 1985, Education reformer Diane Ravitch (5) said "The fundamental premise of our democratic form of government is that political power derives from the informed consent of the people. Informed consent requires a citizenry that is rational and knowledgeable".
How are young people to become our leaders of tomorrow, in government and business, if they are learning less history than ever before? Leaders cannot deal effectively with problems in the future unless they learn the lessons of the past. In order to govern our nation intelligently, future policymakers must have a basic understanding of our American heritage: How the United States was formed from thirteen individual Nation-States; how our government works; and why Geography, Science, Economics, Culture and STEM are important. Planning, organizing, and implementing educational programs associated with celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution are already underway in many of the thirteen original states and elsewhere. The Real American Revolution provides a unique opportunity to help fill the information void by reeducation Americans about their true heritage and foster a greater appreciation for the diversity that brought us to where we are today.
1 Richmond, Emily. "Another Piece of Evidence That America's Students Know Little About Their Country: Eighth Graders continue to display far from sufficient knowledge about geography, civics and history", theatlantic.com, April 29, 2015.
2 Hansen, Mark. "Flunking Civics: Why America's Kids Know So Little", abajournal.com, May 1, 2011.
3 Cole, Jonathan R. "Ignorance Does Not Lend to Election Bliss: Perhaps the country's political state owes itself to the failures of its educational system", theatlantic.com, November 8, 2016.
4 Fresh evidence in declining American interest in historic sites", historynewsnetwork.org, reprinted from Humanities indicators (American Academy of Arts and Sciences), February 22, 2016.
5 Ravitch, Diane. "Decline and Fall of Teaching History", The New York Times, November 17, 1985.
Leadership & Management
Randolph G. Flood
Randolph is the Host and Co-Founder of The Real American Revolution multimedia education series where he conducts in-studio, online, and on-site interviews with authors and historians about what really happened during the Revolution. He currently lectures on over 40 separate topics and is a frequent public speaker. In 2017, he organized twelve days of historic lectures and presentations featuring over 60 authors, historians, archaeologists, National and State Park Rangers, and Historic site professionals for the Grand Opening of Virginia's new American Revolution Museum in Yorktown.
Graduating from Shepherd College, West Virginia in 1973, Mr. Flood began his professional career on the staff of the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works during the "Environmental Decade of the 1970's" when most of our nation's environmental laws were enacted. Later, he joined the personal Legislative staff of U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd, Jr. (I-VA) and eventually formed his own government relations firm, Randolph G. Flood & Associates, which represented numerous maritime and defense clients that included transportation pioneer Malcom McLean, the "Father of Containerization," among others. While in Washington, D.C., Mr. Flood taught Federal Government courses on the legislative and budget processes as Adjunct Faculty at George Washington University, and was a frequent guest lecturer at numerous colleges and universities.
From 2008 to 2016, as a founder and grant administrator of the nonprofit Green Jobs Alliance, he formed a coalition of management and Labor; educational institutions and workforce development boards; veterans' organizations and environmental groups; local governments and community-based organizations, that trained and placed individuals in energy efficiency and renewable energy jobs. As a Historical Interpreter and trainer, he taught classes at the American Revolution Museum in Yorktown and elsewhere, while developing the first Basic Orientation class to the American Revolution at the museum and organizing the Grand Opening's educational program in 2017. Mr. Flood is Commander of the Virginia Company of Rogers' Rangers, Jaeger's Battalion living history group, and a former member of the 1st Virginia Regiment Artillery of the Continental Line living history unit as well.
During 2021 - 2022 he managed a successful national Washington Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Association/National Park Foundation grant that enabled History and Social Science educators to be surveyed to determine what they needed to educate their students about the American Revolution; helped to provide a "toolkit" of options for educators; and then filmed fifteen publicly accessible historic sites along the Washington Rochambeau Trail in Virginia to produce a documentary for schools.
Currently, Randy is involved with the American Revolution Era Education Forum and Vice President for Programs for the Richmond American Revolution Round Table.
Randolph is the Host and Co-Founder of The Real American Revolution multimedia education series where he conducts in-studio, online, and on-site interviews with authors and historians about what really happened during the Revolution. He currently lectures on over 40 separate topics and is a frequent public speaker. In 2017, he organized twelve days of historic lectures and presentations featuring over 60 authors, historians, archaeologists, National and State Park Rangers, and Historic site professionals for the Grand Opening of Virginia's new American Revolution Museum in Yorktown.
Graduating from Shepherd College, West Virginia in 1973, Mr. Flood began his professional career on the staff of the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works during the "Environmental Decade of the 1970's" when most of our nation's environmental laws were enacted. Later, he joined the personal Legislative staff of U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd, Jr. (I-VA) and eventually formed his own government relations firm, Randolph G. Flood & Associates, which represented numerous maritime and defense clients that included transportation pioneer Malcom McLean, the "Father of Containerization," among others. While in Washington, D.C., Mr. Flood taught Federal Government courses on the legislative and budget processes as Adjunct Faculty at George Washington University, and was a frequent guest lecturer at numerous colleges and universities.
From 2008 to 2016, as a founder and grant administrator of the nonprofit Green Jobs Alliance, he formed a coalition of management and Labor; educational institutions and workforce development boards; veterans' organizations and environmental groups; local governments and community-based organizations, that trained and placed individuals in energy efficiency and renewable energy jobs. As a Historical Interpreter and trainer, he taught classes at the American Revolution Museum in Yorktown and elsewhere, while developing the first Basic Orientation class to the American Revolution at the museum and organizing the Grand Opening's educational program in 2017. Mr. Flood is Commander of the Virginia Company of Rogers' Rangers, Jaeger's Battalion living history group, and a former member of the 1st Virginia Regiment Artillery of the Continental Line living history unit as well.
During 2021 - 2022 he managed a successful national Washington Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Association/National Park Foundation grant that enabled History and Social Science educators to be surveyed to determine what they needed to educate their students about the American Revolution; helped to provide a "toolkit" of options for educators; and then filmed fifteen publicly accessible historic sites along the Washington Rochambeau Trail in Virginia to produce a documentary for schools.
Currently, Randy is involved with the American Revolution Era Education Forum and Vice President for Programs for the Richmond American Revolution Round Table.
Robert Sherretta
Robert is the Co-Founder and Producer of The Real American Revolution Multimedia Center, with decades of experience as an editor, author and in television production. Robert started as a newspaper reporter and business magazine editor before joining McGraw-Hill in New York City four decades ago. In New York, he balanced a career working for Wall Street with a publishing model, creating and editing such reports as "Global Investing" (1987), "International Equity Bulletin" (1989) and "Real Estate Investment Trust". He also launched a live action television series "Midnight in Manhattan" and wrote and produced comedies and drama. Living in Paris and working throughout Europe, he wrote for the business periodical AGEFI and founded and published "Euromarket Intelligence" (1991) and "Europe's Top 500 Companies". During his career, Robert has published, edited and written for over 50 business periodicals. In Washington, D.C., Robert served as Vice President for the WEFA GROUP (Wharton Econometric Forecasting Associates) which regularly forecasts economic development, currencies, commodities and global industrial sectors for over one hundred (100) nation economies. He frequently speaks before universities and finance and investment trade organizations.
In 1997, he launched the television program, "International Investor", which examines issues of global economic development. Traveling the world "International Investor" has interviewed hundreds of Central Bankers, Finance Ministers, and key institutional investment and private corporate officers. The program was syndicated to over 60 television stations across the U.S., to two major university broadcasting networks and two educational channels ("The Learning Channel", Tampa, Florida and "The Higher Learning Channel", St. Louis, Missouri) before ending in 202. From 2007 to 2009, Robert served as President of the CHEP Institute, an international not-for-profit professional organization whose mission was to establish and lead the college financial planning profession by setting the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence. For six years he served as a Board Member for the Arlington based Public Access Television Station, Arlington Independent Media (A.I.M. 1996-2002) and today he is Vice President and Board Director of the Falls Church Virginia Cable Television Corporation. Robert has also authored two books; The Stewards and Earths Marrow.
Robert is the Co-Founder and Producer of The Real American Revolution Multimedia Center, with decades of experience as an editor, author and in television production. Robert started as a newspaper reporter and business magazine editor before joining McGraw-Hill in New York City four decades ago. In New York, he balanced a career working for Wall Street with a publishing model, creating and editing such reports as "Global Investing" (1987), "International Equity Bulletin" (1989) and "Real Estate Investment Trust". He also launched a live action television series "Midnight in Manhattan" and wrote and produced comedies and drama. Living in Paris and working throughout Europe, he wrote for the business periodical AGEFI and founded and published "Euromarket Intelligence" (1991) and "Europe's Top 500 Companies". During his career, Robert has published, edited and written for over 50 business periodicals. In Washington, D.C., Robert served as Vice President for the WEFA GROUP (Wharton Econometric Forecasting Associates) which regularly forecasts economic development, currencies, commodities and global industrial sectors for over one hundred (100) nation economies. He frequently speaks before universities and finance and investment trade organizations.
In 1997, he launched the television program, "International Investor", which examines issues of global economic development. Traveling the world "International Investor" has interviewed hundreds of Central Bankers, Finance Ministers, and key institutional investment and private corporate officers. The program was syndicated to over 60 television stations across the U.S., to two major university broadcasting networks and two educational channels ("The Learning Channel", Tampa, Florida and "The Higher Learning Channel", St. Louis, Missouri) before ending in 202. From 2007 to 2009, Robert served as President of the CHEP Institute, an international not-for-profit professional organization whose mission was to establish and lead the college financial planning profession by setting the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence. For six years he served as a Board Member for the Arlington based Public Access Television Station, Arlington Independent Media (A.I.M. 1996-2002) and today he is Vice President and Board Director of the Falls Church Virginia Cable Television Corporation. Robert has also authored two books; The Stewards and Earths Marrow.
Executive Council
David P. Reuwer
David earned his BA in Political Science and Psychology from Towson University and a JD from Pepperdine University. David is a historian, practicing attorney and municipal judge. He was an adjunct professor of historic preservation at the College of Charleston. He was the lead investigator of the initial Eutaw Springs battlefield survey, the associate editor of the magazine, Southern Campaigns of the American Revolution, and editor of American Revolution magazine. David is an engaging Southern Campaigns battlefield tour guide who co-planned and led the Camden Campaign, Thomas Sumter and Cavalry in the American Revolution symposia tours, for US Army and USAF staff rides, and other commercial tours of Southern Campaigns Revolutionary War sites. He is the founder of the American Revolution Association, and a co-founder of the Southern Campaigns Roundtable, the Corps of Discovery tour group, the Congress of American Revolution Round Tables, and the Hobkirk's Hill Battlefield Archaeology Project. David also serves on the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Battleground Preservation Trust.
David earned his BA in Political Science and Psychology from Towson University and a JD from Pepperdine University. David is a historian, practicing attorney and municipal judge. He was an adjunct professor of historic preservation at the College of Charleston. He was the lead investigator of the initial Eutaw Springs battlefield survey, the associate editor of the magazine, Southern Campaigns of the American Revolution, and editor of American Revolution magazine. David is an engaging Southern Campaigns battlefield tour guide who co-planned and led the Camden Campaign, Thomas Sumter and Cavalry in the American Revolution symposia tours, for US Army and USAF staff rides, and other commercial tours of Southern Campaigns Revolutionary War sites. He is the founder of the American Revolution Association, and a co-founder of the Southern Campaigns Roundtable, the Corps of Discovery tour group, the Congress of American Revolution Round Tables, and the Hobkirk's Hill Battlefield Archaeology Project. David also serves on the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Battleground Preservation Trust.
T. Irene Sanders
Irene is Executive Directive and founder of the Washington Center for Complexity & Public Policy, and author of Strategic Thinking and the New Science: Planning in the Midst of Chaos, Complexity and Change. With this book, she pioneered the application of chaos theory and complexity science to strategic thinking—a most essential skill n today's fast-paced, interconnected and rapidly changing world. She developed and directed an executive education program on the applications of complexity science to business for the Colorado Center for Chaos and Complexity at the University of Colorado. As Visiting Professor in the Doctor of Management program at the CTU Institute for Advanced Studies, Irene taught online courses on creative, critical and strategic thinking. She has also developed and presented educational programs for the CIA, the University of Lecce (Italy) and the Smithsonian Institution. Earlier in her career, she originated and hosted a series for public television, and served as legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Sam Nunn. In addition to her work with major corporations, Irene has worked with a number of committees and individual members of the U.S. Congress, agencies of the U.S. intelligence community, the U.S. Armed Forces and with two cabinet secretaries. She is a graduate of Duke University and the Medical College of Georgia, and completed a fellowship in Leadership and Organizational Change at Johns Hopkins University. Irene served as a founding member of the Editorial Board for the International Journal of Complexity in Leadership and Management and was a founding member of the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on Complex Systems.
Irene is Executive Directive and founder of the Washington Center for Complexity & Public Policy, and author of Strategic Thinking and the New Science: Planning in the Midst of Chaos, Complexity and Change. With this book, she pioneered the application of chaos theory and complexity science to strategic thinking—a most essential skill n today's fast-paced, interconnected and rapidly changing world. She developed and directed an executive education program on the applications of complexity science to business for the Colorado Center for Chaos and Complexity at the University of Colorado. As Visiting Professor in the Doctor of Management program at the CTU Institute for Advanced Studies, Irene taught online courses on creative, critical and strategic thinking. She has also developed and presented educational programs for the CIA, the University of Lecce (Italy) and the Smithsonian Institution. Earlier in her career, she originated and hosted a series for public television, and served as legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Sam Nunn. In addition to her work with major corporations, Irene has worked with a number of committees and individual members of the U.S. Congress, agencies of the U.S. intelligence community, the U.S. Armed Forces and with two cabinet secretaries. She is a graduate of Duke University and the Medical College of Georgia, and completed a fellowship in Leadership and Organizational Change at Johns Hopkins University. Irene served as a founding member of the Editorial Board for the International Journal of Complexity in Leadership and Management and was a founding member of the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on Complex Systems.
Wm. Lee Trolan
Lee brings to TRAR over 40 years of experience in line and program level management in the military, government and private sector that includes extensive business development, financial planning, cost estimation, personnel supervision, training and project management. In 1978, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (with a concentration in Management) from California Polytechnic State University. After serving as a U.S. Army Commissioned Officer stateside and overseas, Lee was employed by Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) where he served in multiple capacities (Security Division Training Administrator for Brookhaven Laboratory; Security Survey Team Leader; Project Manager; Emergency Preparedness Division Manager; Program Manager for Emergency Management; Division Manager for Nuclear Operations and emergency Management; Senior Program Manager; culminating in the position of an SAIC Assistant Vice President. He left industry in 2002 to take a senior government position as Deputy Director of Emergency Operations for the U.S. Department of Labor. In 2004 until 2013, Lee was the Director for Continuity Planning for the U.S. House of Representatives under the House Sergeant at Arms. Upon his retirement from government in 2013, he transitioned back to senior government consultant, through Covenant Park Integrated Initiatives, and supported the Architect of the U.S. Capitol enhancing its institutional operations and organizational risk management, continuity of operations, continuity of government, resilience, mission assurance, business continuity, disaster recovery, and emergency preparedness programs.
Lee brings to TRAR over 40 years of experience in line and program level management in the military, government and private sector that includes extensive business development, financial planning, cost estimation, personnel supervision, training and project management. In 1978, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (with a concentration in Management) from California Polytechnic State University. After serving as a U.S. Army Commissioned Officer stateside and overseas, Lee was employed by Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) where he served in multiple capacities (Security Division Training Administrator for Brookhaven Laboratory; Security Survey Team Leader; Project Manager; Emergency Preparedness Division Manager; Program Manager for Emergency Management; Division Manager for Nuclear Operations and emergency Management; Senior Program Manager; culminating in the position of an SAIC Assistant Vice President. He left industry in 2002 to take a senior government position as Deputy Director of Emergency Operations for the U.S. Department of Labor. In 2004 until 2013, Lee was the Director for Continuity Planning for the U.S. House of Representatives under the House Sergeant at Arms. Upon his retirement from government in 2013, he transitioned back to senior government consultant, through Covenant Park Integrated Initiatives, and supported the Architect of the U.S. Capitol enhancing its institutional operations and organizational risk management, continuity of operations, continuity of government, resilience, mission assurance, business continuity, disaster recovery, and emergency preparedness programs.
Technical Advisors
Erin N. Bush
Erin is Technical Advisor for The Real American Revolution, and an Assistant Professor of U.S. and Digital History at the University of North Georgia. She received her doctorate in United States History from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Prior to returning to finish her doctoral degree, she built a career in technology companies managing Web sites and the creative and technical people responsible for building them. Her technology background has influenced her own research, her classroom teaching, and her participation in digital public and local history projects. Dr. Bush received a bachelor's degree in United States History and Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and received a master's degree in United States History and New Media and a graduate certificate in Women and Gender Studies from George Mason University. She is a former Board Member of the Alexandria Historical Society.
Erin is Technical Advisor for The Real American Revolution, and an Assistant Professor of U.S. and Digital History at the University of North Georgia. She received her doctorate in United States History from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Prior to returning to finish her doctoral degree, she built a career in technology companies managing Web sites and the creative and technical people responsible for building them. Her technology background has influenced her own research, her classroom teaching, and her participation in digital public and local history projects. Dr. Bush received a bachelor's degree in United States History and Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and received a master's degree in United States History and New Media and a graduate certificate in Women and Gender Studies from George Mason University. She is a former Board Member of the Alexandria Historical Society.