Philip John Davies is director of the Eccles Centre for American Studies at the British Library, and professor of American Studies at De Montfort University, Leicester. His latest book, co-edited with George C. Edwards, is New Challenges for the American Presidency (Pearson Longman, 2004).

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The Shaker religious community survived 18th century emigration from England to America to build a pacific community of sexual equals. Its founder’s “birthday” on 29 February is an occasion to celebrate a creative adaptation embodied in the Shakers’ unique design heritage.