By Elaine Grublin
The weather this week is predicted to be lovely! Why not walk down to the MHS to attend a program. We are offering two evening seminars, two afternoon public talks, and a morning tour — so there is a bit of something for everyone! And all events this week are free and open to the public.
Tuesday, 4 December, at 5:15 catch the final Early American History Seminar of 2012. Alejandra Dubcovsky, Yale University, will present “ ‘To know if it is true’: Spies, Sentinels, and Prisoners of War in the South Carolina-Florida Borderland.” This seminar paper, available to series subscribers prior to the event, describes how the Spanish created a new network of information that consisted of mobile and trusted informers in the colonial South. Seminars are free and open to the public. An RSVP is required.
Wednesday, 5 December at noon enjoy listening to MHS-NEH Long-term Fellow Kristen Collins, Boston University, discuss her research “Entitling Marriage: A History of Marriage, Public Money, and the Law.” After a brief presentation Collins will entertain questions from the audience. Bring a brown-bag lunch if you wish. Coffee & softdrinks are provided.
Thursday, 6 December brings the final History of Women and Gender Seminar of the year. Beginning at 5:30 PM, Premilla Nadasen, Queens College, presents “The Origins of the Domestic Worker Rights Movement.” The seminar paper is part of a book-length project that follows four women and examines how and why they launched local campaigns for the rights of domestic workers. Ruth Milkman, City University of New York and Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Stud, will provide the comment. An RSVP is required. And remember to subscribe to received an advance copy of the seminar paper.
Friday, 7 December at 2:00 PM, the Society’s own art curator, Anne Bentley, offers her gallery talk “A Family Remembers: The Cheever, Davis, & Shattuck Memorial Jewels.” This hour-long talk allows guests to take an in-depth look at the half a dozen mourning jewels that George Cheever Shattuck gifted to the Society in 1971. The jewels are part of our ongoing exhibition In Death Lamented: The Tradition of Anglo-American Mourning Jewlery.
And finally our Saturday tour “The History and Collections of the MHS” departs the front lobby promptly at 10:00 AM. This 90-minute tour is free and open to the public. No reservation is required for individuals or small groups. Parties of 8 or more should contact Curator of Art Anne Bentley at 617-646-0508 or via email.