ALLIANCE – Rodman Public Library has announced events in May.

– Ahead of May the Fourth, teens, ages 12-18, are invited to learn the ins and outs of the fun and safe activity of light saber combat May 2. LudoSports for Teens, a two-hour program, begins at 10 a.m. and will be taught by a certified instructor from the Canton chapter of LudoSport USA. Participants must have a waiver signed by a parent/guardian prior to the event. Waivers can be obtained at the Information Center at the Main Library. The program is free, thanks to support from Friends of Rodman Library, but space is limited and registration is required at rodmanlibrary.com. To learn more about LudoSport, visit www.ludosportusa.com/ludosport-canton.

– Rodman Public Library’s Kids Crafting program will be held at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 7. The program is being held on the first Thursday of the month instead of its usual second time on the second Thursday so that children, ages 7-12, can create a flower pen ahead of Mother’s Day. Thanks to the Friends of Rodman Public Library, all materials and supplies are provided free of charge, but space is limited and registration is required. Kids Crafting will take a break during June and July and will resume on the second Thursday of August. For information, call the children’s department at 330-821-2665, ext. 223.

– Youth, ages 10-18, are invited to Rodman Public Library at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 21 for a Baby Yoda Party. The hour-long program will feature games, crafts, and snacks themed around Baby Yoda/Grogu to celebrate the release of “The Mandalorian and Grogu” movie that week. Registration is not required to attend the event, which is supported by Friends of Rodman Library.

– Dr. Joseph Warren is one of the most important yet often overlooked figures of the American Revolution. That makes him the perfect subject for the “Forgotten Founders” lecture series at Rodman Public Library at 6 p.m. on Monday, May 11 when local history enthusiast Sidney Zufall will deliver “Joseph Warren: Doctor of Democracy.” The series is co-sponsored by Rodman Public Library and the Alliance Historical Society and is part of Alliance’s America 250 festivities. Registration is required to attend at rodmanlibrary.com.

A respected physician in Boston, Warren was deeply involved in the growing resistance to British authority in the years leading up to the war. Though trained in medicine, he quickly became a political leader, using his influence and writing skills to rally colonial opposition.

Warren played a central role in some of the Revolution’s earliest and most defining moments. He was a key organizer of the Boston Tea Party and delivered stirring speeches commemorating the Boston Massacre, helping to shape public opinion against British rule. Perhaps most famously, on the night of April 18, 1775, Warren dispatched Paul Revere and William Dawes on their midnight rides to warn colonial militias of advancing British troops — an act that proved crucial to the outbreak of open conflict.

Despite his prominence, Warren did not seek safety behind the lines. He chose instead to serve as a soldier and was appointed a major general shortly before the Battle of Bunker Hill. Demonstrating remarkable courage, he entered the battle as a volunteer and fought alongside ordinary soldiers. There, on June 17, 1775, he was killed in combat, becoming a martyr for the Patriot cause.

Warren’s death was a profound loss, but his legacy endured. Leaders like George Washington and John Adams regarded him as a figure of immense promise — one who might have become a central leader of the new nation. Today, Dr. Joseph Warren stands as a powerful reminder that the fight for independence was carried forward not only by the most famous names, but also by those whose sacrifices were just as vital.