Pulitzer-Winning Author Amanda Vaill Visits Historic Hudson Valley to Discuss “Pride and Pleasure”
Many of us know the Schuyler sisters from Hamilton: An American Musical, and now many will learn about them in much greater detail through the work of Amanda Vaill, whose Pride and Pleasure: The Schuyler Sisters in an Age of Revolution won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize in the Biography category. On May 7, Historic Hudson Valley hosted Ms. Vaill for an author talk, moderated by our Vice President of Programs and Engagement, Dr. Elizabeth Bradley.
It is certainly an appropriate year for this discussion given the semiquincentennial (or 250th) anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and the Historic Hudson Valley Regional History Center was an ideal location. Our collection of manuscripts, objects, and historic artifacts includes extensive papers from the family of Angelica Schuyler’s brother, Philip Jeremiah Schuyler, which offer illuminating insights into the lives of this important family. The discussion about Pride and Pleasure was the latest in the Caryl Plunkett Conversation series, a program of Historic Hudson Valley’s Women’s History Institute that brings together creative thinkers in the arts and humanities to share the stories of women in our region.
Those who came to hear Ms. Vaill speak were thrilled to view relevant objects in Historic Hudson Valley’s collection, including the lovely set of four miniature portraits of Angelica Schuyler Church’s children, painted by an Italian artist who was part of the Church’s circle of friends when they lived in London in the 1790s. These charming portraits were likely painted around 1795, and the Church’s brought them home to the Hudson Valley when they returned in 1797.
An image of this unique object was included in Ms. Vaill’s book, and we were very happy that she and her fans were able to see it in person.
