This Week @ MHS

After a shortened holiday week and a brutal cold spell, we have a nice line-up of public events at the MHS this week. Come in for one or all and buff up on your history.

First on the list is the next installment in our Immigration and Urban History Seminar series. On Tuesday, 29 January 2013, join us for "Pretended love of personaly liberty: Antislavery, nativism, and deportation policy in antebellum Massachusetts." In this seminar, Hidetaka Hirota of Boston College examines the implementation of deportation policy in the 1850s, paying special attention to the contradiction between the defense of African Americans' personal liberty and the seizure of Irish immigrants. Comment provided by Lucy Salyer, University of New Hampshire. RSVP required. Subscribe to receive advance copies of the seminar papers.The seminar begins at 5:15pm.

On Wednesday, 30 January 2013, join us for "Dumb Witnesses: Relics of George Washington at the Massachusetts Historical Society."  In this latest installment of our "Object of History" series, MHS Librarian Peter Drummey leasds a conversation which looks at the Society's early collection of Washington artifacts and documents to see what they say about the founding of the MHS and the image of Washington in the early Republic. There will be a pre-talk reception at 5:30pm and the program will begin at 6:00pm. Registration is required for this event and there is a fee. Free for MHS Fund Giving Circle members. Contact 617-646-0557/education@masshist.org for more information.

Saturday, 2 February 2013, come in for a free tour of the Society's public rooms. "The History and Collections of the MHS" is a 90-minute, docent-led tour that touches on the history, art, and collections of the MHS. The tour is free and open to the public. While no reservation is required for small groups, parties of 8 or more should contact the MHS prior to attending. The tour will assemble in the lobby and begin promptly at 10:00am.

Finally, we still have three great exhibits on view. This is the final week for our extremely popular main exhibitition, "In Death Lamented: the Tradition of Anglo-American Mourning Jewelry." The final day for this show is Thursday, 31 January 2013, so be sure to come in before it is gone! In addition, we also have two smaller exhibits commemmorating the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. "Forever Free: Lincoln & the Emancipation Proclamation" and "Lincoln in Manuscript & Artifact" are both on view until 24 May 2013. All exhibits are available for viewing 10:00am-4:00pm, Monday - Saturday.