How do you attract more diverse audiences to a site most known for architecture and decorative arts? A program on 19th century manly arts of self defense succeeded for Hampton National Historic Site.
On August 12th, staff from Hampton and Fort McHenry NM joined special guest instructors in teaching 21st century visitors the historical Western martial arts that American gentlemen and workers were expected to know and practice in the 19th century.
Steve Huff, founder of the Historical Martial Study Society, gave lessons and demonstrations of cutlass, bare knuckle boxing, stick and cudgel fighting. R.J. “Rocky” Rockefeller from the Mid Atlantic Society for Historical Swordsmanship taught a session on the small sword, a forerunner of modern Olympic fencing. Ranger Victor Markland gave a lesson in use of the military saber.
With careful safety measures, 200 visitors participated in the day’s activities, ranging from viewing an exhibit of historic swords from the park collection to hands on practice with wooden swords. The event brought a very different, mostly male, audience to the park, and left that audience with a better understanding of the differing roles and expectations for men in society in the 19th and 21st centuries.
