The Lore Degenstein Gallery at Susquehanna University in collaboration with the Trout Gallery at Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA, has organized a comprehensive exhibition entitled: Joseph Priestley in American: 1794-1804. The exhibition will focus on the American legacy of the scientist, humanist, theologian, philosopher, and political dissident, Joseph Priestley, celebrating the 200th anniversary of his arrival in America in 1794. Priestley, who was born in Yorkshire, England in 1733, is best known for his discovery of oxygen in Leeds, England, announced on August 1, 1774. Priestley’s studies of gases, or “airs” as they were then known, led him to the discovery of other gases including nitrous oxide (“laughing gas”), ammonia, and a gas later identified as carbon monoxide. Priestley’s work also led to a technique for producing carbonated water. Priestley was known not only for his scientific work, but for his work in philosophy, theology, and political theory. Ordained as a dissenting  minister, he was one of the founders of the Unitarian movement in England. Priestley’s political theories, especially his support for the principles of the French Revolution, led to his being branded a political dissident. The controversy over his political views caused him to leave his home in Birmingham, England, where an outbreak of mob violence on the second anniversary of the French Revolution led to the burning of his house, laboratory, and library. After his arrival here in 1794, Priestley settled in Northumberland, Pennsylvania, where he built a house and laboratory. He continued to perform scientific experiments but was hindered by difficulty in communicating with colleagues in England. Priestley’s interest in politics remained. He was friends with Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin. He also continued to pursue his literary and religious interests until his death in 1804. The exhibition will contain many objects associated with Priestley’s life in America including portraits, drawings, prints, and sculptures as well as decorative arts, such as furnishings; scientific apparatus and publications; and documents. Prints and paintings depicting Priestley’s locale on the Susquehanna River in Northumberland and an exhibit of political prints of the time, including works by James Gillray will also be shown.   Valerie Livingston   Joseph Priestly. Rembrandt Peale. Oil on canvas. c. 1802. 26.25 x x30.375" The Trout Gallery, Dickinson College.