The numbers of American Revolutionary War reenactors have been dropping nationwide, as an older generation retires or dies out, writes Ken Wells for The Wall Street Journal.
Younger recruits have been hard to come by due to endless distractions in the time of social media along with the cost since a full Revolutionary War soldier’s kit can cost $3,000 and upward.
John Rees, a 68-year-old New Hope Postal Service retiree and veteran reenactor of 30 years, has noticed the decrease in the number of participants but also finds that the movement is as vibrant as ever.
Rees, who floats among several reenactment groups in the region, has previously written about the overlooked participation of women and Black people in the Revolutionary War.
He noticed that young people are more receptive to that research, which could be used as a draw to get them into the movement.
“We need to reach out,” he said. “The core of any group should be the younger generation. You really shouldn’t have a unit where everybody is in their 40s and 50s and 60s.”
This is especially so considering that the typical Revolutionary War soldier back then was in his early 20s.
Read more about the reality of American Revolutionary reenactors in The Wall Street Journal.
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Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on BUCKSCO Today in November 2024.
