Speakers in the Humanities: A lecture by Sanford Sternlicht

Born in 1792 in Philadelphia of Sephardic Jewish parents, Uriah Phillips Levy ran away from home at age 10 to serve as a ship’s cabin boy.  At 19 he was a captain in the merchant marine.  During the War of 1812 he joined the US Navy, served as a sailing master (warrant officer), and fought in one of the most significant ship actions in the war.  He was captured, but returned to the U.S. after the war to a hero’s welcome.  Levy stayed on in the Navy, rose to command many ships, fought successfully to have flogging abolished in the Navy, and rose to the highest rank–Commodore–at the outbreak of the Civil War.

Sanford Sternlicht is Emeritus Professor of English at Syracuse University.  He has a B.S. from SUNY Oswego, a MA (with distinction) from Colgate University, and a PhD from Syracuse University.  A former United States Naval officer, Prof. Sternlicht has published four books on naval history.

10:30 am Coffee; 11:00 am Presentation

Please contact the National Maritime Historical Society at 914-737-7878, ext. 0, if you plan to attend. 
Or, you may RSVP to [email protected].

If you would also like lunch following the presentation, it is $20 per person prepaid and includes a choice of four entrees, coffee and dessert, cash bar, at Hudson Bistro. Please call 914-737-7878, ext. 0, by Friday, 22 June 2012.