Lunch & Learn, a pre-COVID program that was a favorite with LLC members, started back up in May of 2026. Free to LLC members. Bring a lunch and eat with friends old and new, and learn about a special topic.
Book Talks and Signings: December 10 & 17, 2026
Author Jane Lancaster: Liberty is Sweet, A Novel
December 10 @ 12–2 PM
Scottish Rite Building, 2115 Broad Street, Cranston, RI 02905
Free to LLC members and 2 guests
Click to register
Set in Newport, Rhode Island, Summer 1763, a young servant named Phebe is sent on an errand to the harbor, where she witnesses a life-changing moment: her master purchasing a boy newly arrived on a slave ship. He is given a new name, Arthur, and placed in her care. Over the next few years, as the Revolutionary War rages, Phebe and Arthur's lives span continents in search of freedom. This sweeping historical novel reveals their courage, resilience, and the growth of their bond during war and peace.
12:00 pm: Bring your lunch – water, coffee and tea to be provided
12:30 pm: Author’s book talk with Q & A session – free
1:30 pm: Book signing and purchase – $20 cash, check, Venmo
Author Richard Watrous: Rahsaan Roland Kirk's Volunteered Slavery
December 17 @ 12–2 PM
Scottish Rite Building, 2115 Broad Street, Cranston, RI 02905
Free to LLC members and 2 guests
Click to register
Jazz musician Rahsaan Roland Kirk lived and breathed music, succeeding despite being blind. He played three saxophones simultaneously, could hold a note for hours, composed original tunes, and formed the Jazz and People’s Movement to spearhead the cause of “Black classical music.” Whether on the stage of the Newport Jazz Festival or The Ed Sullivan Show, Kirk was an unforgettable force. Rahsaan Roland Kirk’s Volunteered Slavery—with its special focus on Kirk’s pivotal album—explores the music and mission of this extraordinary man.
12:00 pm: Bring your lunch – water, coffee and tea to be provided
12:30 pm: Author’s book talk with Q & A session – free
1:30 pm: Book signing and purchase – $14.99 cash, check, Venmo
Previous Lunch & Learns
Jazz concert featuring The Tom White Trio – August 18, 2026
Tom White – piano, John McKenna – saxophone, Jim Robitaille – guitar, Tom Casale – bass, Mark Berney – trumpet, Jim Nordhill – drums
250th Anniversary Celebration of the Declaration of Independence – May 19, 2026
We marked the occasion by taking a close a look at the famous and not-so-famous words and phrases. What were the founders' intentions, sources, and meanings? What did they mean by the ‘Pursuit of Happiness?’ What did they envision when they called us ‘One People’? How do we understand these words today? These and other foundational ideas were debated and the document read aloud. We celebrated with lunch, song, and anniversary cake!
