| The American Library Association (ALA) held their 149th annual conference, from June 27-30, 2025, in Philadelphia, PA. More than 17,000 attendees registered for the event. To promote The Dennis Farm Charitable Land Trust and sell DFCLT’s books for young people, Bristol Budd Sampson: Patriot of the American Revolution (2023) and Abel Benson: Patriot of the American Revolution (2025) by CEO Margaret Denise Dennis, DFCLT hosted a booth at the ALA Conference Marketplace, in the vast Pennsylvania Convention Center. It was all hands-on-deck for DFCLT. Officers Darryl Gore and Lonnie Moore hosted the booth and talked with conference attendees on the floor about the books, Denise Dennis chatted with attendees and signed books, and Jordan Gore, DFCLT’s technical consultant and “youth in the booth,” processed all electronic transactions. There was constant traffic to the DFCLT ALA booth. A number of conference-goers even returned to the booth with a spouse or friends. Librarians from as far away as Guam, Washington State and California, to Texas, Illinois and Georgia, to upstate New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts, purchased or ordered books.
“To my surprise, conference attendees were particularly fascinated to learn that Bristol Budd Sampson and Abel Benson were African American Revolutionary War soldiers from New England,” said Denise, “and that they succeeded in obtaining their war pensions. The stories of these two obscure Black soldiers touch people of all races. Hearing and seeing the responses the books was an eye-opener for me, and as the author, especially gratifying.”
“The ALA conference was a phenomenal event that surpassed expectations,” Lonnie Moore commented, “We had the opportunity to meet hundreds of people from across the country and abroad who embodied a true passion for preservation of books, literature and American History.”
“The responses we received from the participants at the ALA Conference were extremely encouraging,” Darryl Gore remarked, “The reactions—when we shared the stories of Bristol Budd Sampson and Abel Benson warmed my heart. I left with the belief that both books will be a success.”
“It was also encouraging to listen to librarians describe what they’ve experienced since the rise in book banning began, “said Denise. “In spite of the challenges librarians and libraries face today, there are thousands of librarians who are forging ahead, making sure Americans have access to knowledge and learning through books. As long as authors make an effort to share the truth, libraries and librarians will find a way to make it available to readers.”
Although the book illustrators, Kimberley Lyles-Folkman of Bristol Budd Sampson and Eric Battle of Abel Benson, received a fee for their illustrations, M. Denise Dennis donated her work and received no fee for writing the books. All proceeds go to the restoration of the Dennis Farm’s Henry W. and Angeline Perkins Dennis House, for use as a public space. |
