Location : Salford Museum and Art Gallery
Start date : 15th August 2009
End date : 22nd November 2009
An exhibition to mark the death in 1809 of revolutionary writer and radical political thinker Thomas Paine.
His radical ideas about freedom, justice and equality were a source of inspiration to ordinary people across two continents two hundred years ago, and are still in print today.
The exhibition tells the story of Paine's adventurous and eventful life, his narrow escapes from death and his involvement in both the American and French Revolutions. The main focus of the exhibition however is the very modern ideas in his three key publications, ‘Common Sense', ‘Rights of Man' and ‘Age of Reason', early editions of which will be on display. The exhibition will also contain political cartoons, radical pamphlets and rare editions of books by and about Paine and his followers.
Paine's ideas have inspired radicals and shaped government policies for over 200 years. Barack Obama quoted him in his presidential inauguration speech. Many of the reforms which Paine advocated such as universal suffrage, the abolition of slavery, retirement pensions and free education have been put into place, while others such as a written constitution for Britain are still being hotly debated.
The Library has been awarded a grant from the Lottery scheme ‘Awards for All' for a film-making project, working with local school students studying media, politics or citizenship to produce short multimedia works looking at the modern relevance of Paine's ideas. The results will be presented as part of the exhibition.
Salford Museum and Art Gallery where the exhibition takes place is situated in Peel Park, an ideal setting to celebrate a man who dedicated his life to making complex ideas accessible to ordinary people. This is where, almost fifty years after Paine's death, people flocked to enjoy the country's first free public Library.
Although Thomas Paine has been dead for 200 years, his ideas are still very much alive and his writings are still an inspiration to anyone who wishes to change society for the better. As Veronica Trick, volunteer co-ordinator at the Library, says: ‘If our Library had a patron saint it'd be Thomas Paine. He's so much the starting point, both chronologically and ideologically, for working class history'.
The exhibition is being held at Salford Museum and Art Gallery, Peel Park, The Crescent, Salford M5 4WU.
Opening times are : Monday-Friday 10am-4.45pm and Saturday and Sunday 1-5pm