Fort Montgomery State Historic Site, located about six miles from downtown Peekskill, will set the stage for the revolutionary collaborator Liss to come to life in a re-enactment of freedom, resistance, and espionage. 

The event will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 21, as part of the Juneteenth commemoration, which marks June 19, 1865—the day the last enslaved people in Texas were finally emancipated, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

Led by performers Karla and Jim Keyes, the program introduces audiences to the story of Elizabeth, an enslaved woman held by the Townsend family, revolutionary-aligned merchants based in Long Island. Their son, Robert Townsend, became a spy for George Washington and is believed to have involved Liss in that dangerous mission. This possible underground network of Black informants played a key role during the American Revolution.

The event, titled “Liss: Slave, Servant, Spy”, is free, open to all ages, and does not require registration. According to organizers, it is designed as an interactive way to share historical knowledge with the public. Although this is the first time the Keyes have brought the performance to Fort Montgomery, they have previously staged it at other venues, including St. Paul’s Church National Historic Site in Mount Vernon and Somers Intermediate School.

The dramatization is based on the life of Liss, who—according to historical accounts—played a crucial role in the Culper Spy Ring, which operated under the command of George Washington. Because of her position as a servant in British circles, she may have passed along sensitive information. She has even been linked to the cipher code “355,” used to designate a woman within the spy network.

Much of what is known about Liss comes from records presented by the nonprofit Remember Liss. These sources also indicate that she was re-enslaved after attempting to escape, endured harsh conditions for years, and legally obtained her freedom in 1803. Her story has been brought back into public awareness thanks to researchers like Claire Bellerjeau, coauthor of Espionage and Enslavement in the Revolution, a book that compiles documentation on her possible role as an undercover agent.

The performance at Fort Montgomery is part of a series of educational programs offered by New York State Parks to honor the contributions of African Americans during the Revolutionary War, in alignment with the Juneteenth weekend. For more information, visit the official page of the park.