Brady Crytzer teaches history at Robert Morris University. Originally from Freeport, he is the author of six different books. His writings have taken him on speaking tours all over the country. “I want people to see these places the way I see them,” Crytzer said. He spoke from his book, “War in the Peaceable Kingdom: The Kittanning Raid of 1756” at the Ford City Armory last night.
A Robert Morris University professor was at the Armory in Manor Township last night as guest speaker for the Ford City Library “Legends of the Library” monthly seminar series.
Brady Crytzer, 33, a professor of History at Robert Morris University, lectured on the Battle of Kittanning – a raid that took place in September 1756.
“I want to give an understanding of why the raid happened, what existed here, what the significance was - not just in Pennsylvania history but also British Imperial history,” Crytzer said. “It is early American history. It was a pivotal victory, some would say, in the Seven Years’ War. The war involved every European great power of the time and spanned five continents, affecting Europe, the Americas, West Africa, India, and the Philippines. You could argue looking at the evidence that maybe it wasn’t so much a victory, but at a time when victories against France were hard to come by, a lot of people in the British Empire viewed Kittanning as a bright spot they could use to highlight the war effort.”
Crytzer grew up in Freeport and graduated from Freeport High School. The tales of the Allegheny River were part of his experience as a youth. He then attended and graduated from Slippery Rock University.
“I’ve always had a general interest in history. In college, I had a great professor named David Dixon,” Crytzer said. “I always liked to read. I always liked to write. History gives you the opportunity to flex a lot of those mental muscles. But having lived here in Western Pennsylvania and then learning the real, genuine importance of the region to the global geo-politics of the 18th century, it was a no-brainer for me to come home and do this lecture.”
Although he is the author of six different books, Crytzer had his most recent book for sale at last night’s event on the Battle of Kittanning.
“I’ve written six books so they have taken me all over the Country. I try to anytime I have the chance to speak here at home in western Pennsylvania to do it as much as possible because these are my friends and neighbors. I want people to see these places the way I see them. We see the names of streets with prominent last names. We see rivers and we see paths that have been rivers and paths for centuries and they’ve played major roles. I want people to be able to appreciate them the way I appreciate them. You can really become something of a tourist in your own hometown when you dig into history and that’s what I really think is important for events like this.”