By Dan Hinchen, Reader Services
It is a new month and we have a good schedule of events in the first full week to kick things off.
First, join us on Tuesday, 5 February 2013, for the latest installment of our Early American History Seminar series, when the MHS hosts “Panel Discussion: Race, Religion, and Freedom in the 18th Century North.” Taking place at the Old State House and starting at 5:15pm, this discussion will focus on two seminar papers. Richard Boles, George Washington University, focuses on the participation of Native- and African-Americans in major Protestant denominations with an eye to reevaluating the influence of these groups on theology and church practice in the Cononial North. Jared Hardesty, Boston College, will raise questions about freedom in the American Colonies through engagement of the literature of liberty in early America and posing a challenge to the popular slave/free dichotomy which prevails in the historiography. Comment to be provided by Linford Fisher, Brown University. Subscribe to receive advance copies of the seminar papers. This seminar is free and open to the public but RSVP is required
On Wednesday, 6 February 2013, join us for a free Brown Bag lunch talk in which Lucinda Damon-Bach, Salem State University, will present “Finding Sedgwick in the Archives: Recent Discoveries in the Complex Life of Catharine Maria Sedgwick (1789-1867).” Ms. Damon-Bach will share information about her research into the life of Ms. Sedgwick — prolific correspondent, famous author, pioneering Unitarian, benevolent worker, and an active family woman — highlighting discoveries-to-date and cleared misconceptions in preparation for a book about Sedgwick’s life and work. The Brown Bag talk will begin at 12:00pm so pack a lunch and enjoy the discussion!
Thursday evening, 7 February 2013, make your way to Harvard’s Schlesinger Library for the next event in another of our seminar series, History of Women and Gender, as Jennifer Morgan of New York University presents “Partus Sequitur Ventrem: Slave Law and the History of Women in Slavery.” Comment provided by Linda Heywood of Boston University. The talk will begin at 5:30pm. Subscribe to receive advance copies of the seminar papers. This seminar is free and open to the public but RSVP is required.
As January closed this week, so to did the successful exhibition “In Death Lamented: The Tradition of Anglo-American Mourning Jewelry.” Thank you to all who came into view this beautiful exhibit curated by Sarah Nehama and MHS Art Curator, Anne Bentley. But even as this exhibit comes down preparations are under way for the next one. Be sure to keep an eye on our calendar for informaiton about our next exhibition, “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land: Boston Abolitionists, 1831-1865,” scheduled to open on 22 February 2013. In the meantime, remember that we still have two smaller displays currently open to view 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.