This Week @MHS

Here is a look at what is going on at the MHS this week:

On Wednesday, 2 October, at 12:00 PM: Autonomous & Independent: Native Activists & the Rejection of U.S. Citizenship, 1906-1924 with Lila Teeters, University of New Hampshire. In the early 20th century, U.S. Congressmen attempted to make every Native within the territorial boundaries of the United States a citizen. Native activists, many committed to cultural integrity and the maintenance of tribal sovereignty, thwarted Congressional efforts for almost two decades. This talk follows the Native individuals and nations who led the protest against U.S. citizenship and analyzes how their fights shaped citizenship policies at large.  This is part of our brown-bag lunch program. Brown-bags are free and open to the public. 

On Wednesday, 2 October, at 6:00 PM: Housing as History: Columbia Point & Commonwealth with Lawrence Vale, Ford Professor of Urban Design and Planning, MIT; Jane Roessner, author; Charlie Titus, UMass Boston. In 1979, after touring public housing sites with deplorable conditions, Massachusetts Superior Court Judge Paul Garrity ordered the Boston Housing Authority into receivership. Lewis H. (Harry) Spence was appointed as receiver. As Spence oversaw a massive redevelopment of the fourth largest housing authority in America, two very different housing models emerged: Columbia Point in Dorchester and Commonwealth in Brighton. Columbia Point was the largest public housing complex in New England and had once been a source of pride. However, a quarter century after it opened, it stood neglected, isolated, and mostly vacant. When it was redeveloped into the new community of Harbor Point, less than one-third of the resultant apartments were targeted to public housing residents. By contrast, Commonwealth remained 100% public housing. Nearly two-thirds of its original residents, many of whom had been deeply involved in the site’s redevelopment, were able to return to the site. This conversation will explore these outcomes, situating these redevelopments in the overall history of the Boston Housing Authority. This program is made possible by the generosity of Mass Humanities and the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University. A pre-talk reception begins at 5:30 PM; the speaking program begins at 6:00 PM. Please note: those registered for the program after 28 September may be asked to sit in our overflow room with a live video feed.

On Thursday, 3 October, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM: Fenway Connections Opening Reception. This temporary exhibition will celebrate the history and evolution of Fenway Studios by shining a light on contemporary work produced by current members alongside rarely shown paintings from the MHS collection created by past Fenway Studios artists. The opening reception is free and open to the public. 

On Saturday, 5 October, from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM: Student Research Open House at the MHS. Working on a National History Day or other historical research project? Want to learn what it’s like to get your hands on primary sources? Discover the incredible primary sources at your fingertips in the MHS collections, and learn how to get the most out of researching in the archive! Open to students in grades 6-12 and teachers.

Abigail Adams: Life & Legacy Pop-Up Display
Abigail Adams urged her husband to “Remember the Ladies” and made herself impossible to forget. But Abigail is memorable for more than her famous 1776 admonition. This final Remember Abigail display uses documents and artifacts through the ages to consider the way Abigail viewed her own legacy and to explore how and why we continue to Remember Abigail. Join us for gallery talks on 25 October and 22 November at 2:00 PM.

Fenway Connections, an exhibition by the MHS and the Fenway Studios, opens on 3 October
The Fenway Studios is the only purpose-built structure in the United States designed to provide work and living space for artists that is still used for its original intent. It was modeled after 19th-century Parisian atelier studios but took the additional step of encouraging studio-design suggestions from the founding artists. This temporary exhibition will celebrate the history and evolution of Fenway Studios by shining a light on contemporary work produced by current members alongside rarely shown paintings from the MHS collection created by past Fenway Studios artists.

Posted in This Week @MHS

Hometown Connections: Captain John Binney at Fort Edgecomb

by Hannah Elder, Library Assistant

Today I want to share some letters that were written in a place close to my heart: my hometown! They were written by Capt. John Binney while he served as the commander at Fort Edgecomb (in Edgecomb, Maine) in the lead up-to the War of 1812. The fort was built in 1808-1809 to protect the port of Wiscasset, then a busy shipbuilding center. Binney, originally from Boston, lived in the neighboring town of Wiscasset while the fort was under his command and he frequently wrote to his brother, Amos Binney, while he was stationed there. John’s letters to Amos can be found in both the Binney Family Papers and the Henry P. Binney Family Papers at the MHS.

Photograph of Fort Edgecomb
Fort Edgecomb in September 2019, photo by Hannah Elder

John Binney served as the captain of the 4th Regiment, U.S. Infantry at Fort Edgecomb from 1809 to 1813. When he arrived, he was not impressed with the men in his regiment or with the people of Wiscasset. Upon his first inspection of his men, he wrote to Amos:

27 fine hearty young men immediately appeared on parade but as dirty, pybald, ragged and as gawky as you please. Ten thousand harlequins – Twenty thousand Rainbows, or thirty thousand ribbons shop would not have displayed half the variety of colors as their dress did

The differences between this Boston army captain and the people in the rural shipping port became very apparent to John the first time he wore his full dress uniform in town. He was “absolutely astounded” by the reactions of the townspeople, who gawked at his “pretty boots,” feather, and sword.

John Binney writing about reactions to his dress uniform
John’s description of the reactions to his dress uniform

He spent much of his first years in Wiscasset equipping his men and the fort. Many of John’s letters to Amos included instructions on what to send to Wiscasset, how to manage his Boston household on his behalf, and discussions of his business.

When war was declared in June of 1812, John was informed by letter. On June 27, he wrote to Amos:

I received an express on the 23rd at 5PM with notice of the Declaration of War. I immediately sent express to Georgetown, Damariscotta and Ft. George and in half an hour was ready to commence action, El W Ripley commands from Saco to Passamaquoddy Bays. Your department I expect will open the Ball and all must regret that more frigates was not built we shall feel the want of them – I have but 56 effectives at 5 forts from Castine to Kennebeck [sic] that more troops are necessary is ready seen. The militia will be called to our aid or should be – I have made the best display possible with my small force – am well armed and have powder and ball, but not enough should a ship of war attempt either of the Posts under my command the result is not doubtful. is should have to contend against fearful odds, six heavy guns is the most at either of my posts. A frigate would bring more than twenty to bear on my works – and then from a destruction I should least annoy, however I shall do all that can be expected with the force at the posts.

In the first few months of the war, John was concerned about the number of men at his command, sure that they would not be able to properly defend the towns under his protection. In August of 1812, he wrote:

It is a fact and I shudder when I think a Privateer with 100 men could destroy every port from Eastport to Portsmouth and Castine. I have 8 men at St George 8 men at Damariscotta 8 at Kennebeck [sic] 12 at this Post. 24 effectives – what could we do with this small force – little or nothing not one of the Ports being defensible on the land side – a small force in our rear would defeat or slaughter the whole with a few discharges of grape. And there is nothing prevent an Enemy from landing on the back of us – thus you see my means with more than 100 miles of coast under my command requiring 500 men at least to make a respectable defence but I shall endeavor to do my duty.

In September, though, he received orders to call new men to service. He told Amos:

I have this day been directed by Colo Boyd to call into immediate service at the Port and vicinity a volunteer company of Infantry under Capt. Daw Rose 84 strong – this will be quite an addition to my Garrison and if they prove good I shall feel much more at ease than I have for months past with 5 ports and sixty men

Luckily for John and his few men, Fort Edgecomb was never attacked during the war.

Wax seal of John Binney
Capt. John Binney’s wax seal

I really enjoyed getting to see what life was like in my hometown more than two hundred years ago, but more than that, I enjoyed getting to know John Binney. John was a diligent correspondent, always confirming that he had received Amos’s letters and passing along affection to his brother and the rest of his family. He had a quick wit and provided vivid descriptions of the people he met (one fellow who did not impress John was once described as “the most awkward styled two-legged unfeathered animal you ever saw”). I especially enjoyed the variation in the flourishes in John’s handwriting – it seems that when he was in a good mood, the flourishes were much more plentiful, like the one seen here:

Detail of letter written by John Binney
Sample of John Binney’s handwriting

If you would like to get to know the Binney family for yourself, or any one of the many fascinating people from our collections please consider visiting the library!

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John Quincy Adams’s Presidential Diaries Now Available

by Neal Millikan, Digital Projects Editor

On 4 March 1825, 57-year-old John Quincy Adams believed he had reached the apex of his political career when he was inaugurated the sixth president of the United States. “I entered upon this day with a supplication to Heaven, first for my Country; secondly for myself, and for those connected with my good name and fortunes, that the last results of its events may be auspicious and blessed.” However, Adams found the four years of his administration among the most challenging of his life. This month the Adams Papers editorial project added verified transcriptions of Adams’s diary entries for the period March 1825 to December 1829 as part of its John Quincy Adams Digital Diary. The entries chronicle his time in the White House, the 1828 presidential election, and Adams’s uneasy retirement from office, during which the former president worried he was “losing day after day without atchieving any thing.”

lithograph of the White House
Lithograph of White House affixed inside front cover of John Quincy Adams’s Diary 37

As president, Adams’s agenda encompassed an ambitious strategy of reforms for American society, including internal improvements, a national university, and a department of the interior, many of which he outlined in his first State of the Union address in December 1825. From the start of his presidency, John Quincy dealt with the repercussions of the 1824 election, which Andrew Jackson and his supporters believed Adams had unfairly won by making a “corrupt bargain” with Henry Clay to secure the executive. By the 1826 mid-term elections, the Jacksonians assumed the majority in the House of Representatives and used their power in Congress to thwart Adams’s plans. The 1828 presidential campaign also began almost as soon as Adams took office in 1824, and with Adams and Jackson as the main opponents, it became one of the most fiercely contested political campaigns in American history.

Engraving of JQA by Francis Kearney
Engraving of John Quincy Adams by Francis Kearney, circa 1824

John Quincy Adams’s private life was also difficult during these years. His wife, Louisa Catherine Adams, continued to have bouts of ill health throughout his presidency, and he grieved the loss of two close family members: his father, John Adams, died in 1826, and his eldest son, George Washington Adams, died in 1829. Upon learning of John Adams’s death, John Quincy recorded in his diary: “My father had nearly closed the ninety-first year of his life: A life illustrious in the Annals of his Country, and of the World— He had served to great and useful purpose his Nation, his Age, and his God— He is gone, and may the blessing of Almighty Grace have attended him to his Account.” As in previous years, John Quincy’s diary recounts his outlets from the pressures of his myriad public duties by continuing his exercise regimen of swimming and walking and spending time in the White House gardens.

For an overview of John Quincy Adams’s life during these years, read the headnote for the presidential period or navigate to the entries to begin reading the diary.

The John Quincy Adams Digital Diary is a born-digital edition that will pair a verified and searchable transcription of Adams’s diary with the manuscript images of the diary pages. The diplomat and statesman kept a journal for more than 68 years, starting in 1779 at the age of 12, and continuing until just before his death at age 80 in 1848. In all, his diary spans 51 volumes and comprises 15,000 manuscript pages. More than 3,200 pages are now available online through the generous support of the Amelia Peabody Charitable Fund, Harvard University Press, and private donors. To find out how you can get involved, visit the Digital Diary website.

Posted in From Our Collections

This Week @MHS

There is a lot going on at the MHS this week. Here is a look:

On Tuesday, 24 September, at 5:15 PM: Fifty Shades of Green: Sexing Economics with Bethany Moreton, Dartmouth College, and comment by Nancy Cott, Harvard University. From the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship to the Chicago School, thinkers on the Right have vigorously theorized the foundational connections between sexual and economic ideologies, even while self-identified partisans of labor democracy scold radicals for “trying to persuade people on the left that gay issues, black issues, feminist issues and so on are all really about capitalism.” What happens when we consider economic “science” as a chapter in the history of sexuality? This is part of the Boston Seminar on Modern American Society and Culture series. Seminars are free and open to the public.

On Wednesday, 25 September, at 12:00 PM: Suffragists of Scituate with Lyle Nyberg, Scituate Historical Society. A hundred years ago, several nationally prominent suffragists spent summers in Scituate, which had become a popular seaside destination. They included Inez Haynes Irwin, who wrote the history of the National Woman’s Party, and Judith Winsor Smith, who wrote for the Woman’s Journal and gave public speeches into her 90s promoting a woman’s right to vote. This talk examines their little-known stories and unique relationship to Scituate. This is part of the Brown-bag lunch program. Brown-bags are free and open to the public.

On Wednesday, 25 September, at 6:00 PM: The Arts & Crafts Houses of Massachusetts: A Style Rediscovered with Heli Meltsner, Cambridge Historical Society. At the opening of the twentieth century, Massachusetts architects struggled to create an authentic new look that would reflect their clients’ increasingly informal way of life. Inspired by the Arts and Crafts Movement in England, the result was a charming style that proved especially appropriate for the rapidly expanding suburbs and vacation houses in the states. Through meticulous research, Heli Meltsner brings this distinctly New England architectural style the attention it deserves.  A pre-talk reception begins at 5:30 PM; the speaking program begins at 6:00 PM. There is a $10 per person fee (no charge for MHS Fellows and Members or EBT cardholders).

On Thursday, 26 September, at 5:15 PM: Toward the Sistercentennial: New Light on Women’s Participation in the American Revolution with Woody Holton, University of South Carolina, and comment by Mary Bilder, Boston College Law. This essay offers new insight on some of the iconic stories of women’s involvement in the American Revolution. For example, it documents disputes among the Patriot boycotters of 1769 and 1770 (male vs. female, enslaved vs. free, and northern vs. southern) and describes the male-on-male conflicts that led to and resulted from Esther Reed’s famous Ladies Association of 1780. This is part of the Pauline Maier Early American History Seminar series. Seminars are free and open to the public.

On Saturday, 28 September, at 2:00 PM: Primary Sources for Fashion & Costume History Research with Kimberly Alexander, University of New Hampshire, and Sara Georgini, MHS. Antique textiles, images of historical figures, and material culture hold a wealth of information that can enrich personal stories, explain relationships, and contextualize the world that people occupied. However, these sources can seem daunting to explore. Two experts on fashion and material culture will guide you through unraveling the stories woven into history’s fabric. This workshop is part of our Remember Abigail programming.

Abigail Adams: Life & Legacy Pop-Up Display begins on 27 September
Abigail Adams urged her husband to “Remember the Ladies” and made herself impossible to forget. But Abigail is memorable for more than her famous 1776 admonition. This final Remember Abigail display uses documents and artifacts through the ages to consider the way Abigail viewed her own legacy and to explore how and why we continue to Remember Abigail. Join us for gallery talks on 25 October and 22 November at 2:00 PM.

Fenway Connections, an exhibition by the MHS and the Fenway Studios, opens on 3 October
The Fenway Studios is the only purpose-built structure in the United States designed to provide work and living space for artists that is still used for its original intent. It was modeled after 19th-century Parisian atelier studios but took the additional step of encouraging studio-design suggestions from the founding artists. This temporary exhibition will celebrate the history and evolution of Fenway Studios by shining a light on contemporary work produced by current members alongside rarely shown paintings from the MHS collection created by past Fenway Studios artists. An opening reception will take place on 3 October at 5:30 PM. It is free and open to the public.

Posted in This Week @MHS

Historical Legacy of Memory: Four Teacher Workshops

by Elyssa Tardif, Director of Education

Thanks to the support of the Richard Saltonstall Charitable Foundation, this summer the Center for the Teaching of History offered four workshops for teachers that used four essential themes to explore the intersection between history, memory and legacy: equality in education, immigration, post-Civil War Reconstruction, and LGBTQ+ rights.  Each of these topics allowed Center staff and participants to ground contemporary debates in their historical foundations and provided teachers with suggestions for fostering civic dialogue among their students.  As well, the workshops offered tools to teacher participants for supporting the new 2018 Massachusetts History and Social Science Curriculum Framework (adopted and required by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in 2018), particularly with an increased focus on civic education across all grade levels.

We were very pleased to have the opportunity to work with several of our partner institutions across Boston, including the Museum of African American History, the Boston Public Schools History and Social Sciences Department, History UnErased, Northeastern University’s Special Collections, GLAD, Facing History and Ourselves, and the International Institute of New England, as well as numerous scholars and experts.

After each of our programs, educators provided constructive feedback on the structure and content of our programs, while also expressing a need for more professional development resources tailored for history and social science educators. In fact, according to a 2018 survey, 75% of Massachusetts teachers report that they do not have professional development resources available to them. Teachers appreciate being treated like knowledgeable professionals, and many noted on their evaluation forms that they felt valued at the MHS, not just as educators but as history professionals. Teachers expressed an appreciation for teaching resources that help them approach challenging class topics that relate to current events and present issues. They also specifically referenced the helpfulness of class materials and workshops that focused on minority voices, diverse histories, and that connected to civics and democracy—all priorities in the new 2018 MA History and Social Science Curriculum Framework.  A number of teachers from these workshops reported that they are using workshop resources to develop new fall curriculum that better incorporates these elements into their teaching.

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The Civil War Letters of Dwight Emerson Armstrong, Part VII

by Susan Martin, Processing Archivist & EAD Coordinator

This is the seventh and final post in a series. Read Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, and Part VI.

For the last few months, I’ve been telling you about the letters of Dwight Emerson Armstrong of Wendell, Mass., who served with the 10th Massachusetts Infantry in the Civil War. Today we conclude his story.

Things were quiet for the 10th after the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862, which was just fine by Dwight. He did take part in Ambrose Burnside’s Mud March of January 1863, in which troops, artillery, and pontoon trains were trapped in a days-long downpour and got so bogged down in the mud that they had to give up and turn back. But after that disastrous march, the regiment settled in for the rest of the winter at the Union camp near Falmouth, Va. on the north bank of the Rappahannock River. Dwight called the lull “very agreeable to a man whose constitution will bear as much rest, as mine will.”

In early February, ten-day furloughs were granted on a very limited basis, but Dwight didn’t bother to request one because the time would be too short and, as he wrote his sister Mary (Armstrong) Needham, “if I should get there I should’nt want to come back. […] Do you know that it has been almost 2 years since I saw you.”

Of course, by mid-February, Dwight was complaining of boredom. The soldiers entertained themselves as best they could. On 7 March, Dwight and others attended a local “negro meeting,” which he described in detail in a letter to Mary the following day. He found the experience novel and amusing, writing, “I guess I laughed as much as ever I did in the same length of time.”

Apparently, Mary took exception to his mocking tone. (Our collection unfortunately doesn’t include her letters). Dwight replied to her more seriously a month later.

As for what you say about your not laughing, if you had been at the negro meeting I dont believe it. No doubt it was wrong to do it; but I’ll bet, you would have laughed, down in your stomach, all the while. […] No doubt they are sincere in their worship. It is strange, after being kept under, and abused, as they have been for generations back, that they are half as intelligent as they are. They seem to understand what is going on pretty well, and are loyal, and earnestly wish, and pray, for the success of our arms. […] They evidently are impressed with the belief that the good time is coming; when they will all be free and I dont see how any sane person can doubt it. How soon it will be, we dont know but I for one think […] we are only in the beginning of the war.

Dwight admitted that he’d underestimated the resilience, resourcefulness, and determination of the South, although he still believed the North would win the war, if for no other reason than that its army was larger. As he put it, “we have a good chance to break them and have a few left to start again with.”

On 8 April 1863, the Union troops were reviewed at Falmouth by President Abraham Lincoln himself, accompanied by General Joseph Hooker. Dwight had been harshly critical of Lincoln in previous letters, had even referred to him as “mad,” but now found his heart going out to him.

The President looks as if he was almost worn out. Poor man! I pity him, and wonder he is alive, surrounded as he is by such a pack of traitors, and numb skulls, and he the only honest man in the lot. I have scolded, a good deal about him, since he removed McClellan, and wished him in the bottom of the ocean, but was ready to forgive him, when I saw how pale and sorrowful he looked.

The last letter in the collection was written on 27 April. In it, Dwight primarily discussed mundane matters, but he also had this to say about the Confederate army: “If we could only drive them, off from the hills, on the other side of the river, so as to meet on equal terms I should have no fears of the result and have’nt as it is, much.”

Dwight was killed six days later on 3 May 1863 in the Battle of Salem Heights (or Salem Church), Va. He was 23 years old.

Coincidentally, the MHS holds a diary written by another member of Dwight’s company, Private George Arms Whitmore. Here’s an excerpt from George’s diary entry for that day:

In the afternoon we drove the rebels about 3 miles when they made a stand and we had a very hard time. There were 2 killed and we think one wounded. Their names were Dwight Armstrong Wm Ryther killed. And Christopher Megrath supposed to be wounded.

3 May 1863 diary entry
George Arms Whitmore diary, 3 May 1863

William Eaton Ryther was a 20-year-old from Greenfield, Mass. According to a history of the town, he and Dwight were buried on the field together. Dwight’s body was apparently later removed to Locust Hill Cemetery in Montague, Mass., where he’s buried with his parents.

Joseph K. Newell’s history of the 10th Regiment tells us that Christopher Megrath survived the battle and the war, but died in 1869 as a result of the wound he received that day.

Dwight’s sister Mary, to whom he wrote so faithfully, died in Springfield, Mass. in 1887.

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This Week @MHS

Join us for a program at the MHS this week. If you haven’t had a chance to view our current exhibition, this week is your last chance.  “Can She Do It?” closes on Saturday, 21 September. Here is a look at what is planned:

On Wednesday, 18 September, at 6:00 PM: Searching for Black Confederates: The Civil War’s Most Persistent Myth with Kevin M. Levin. More than 150 years after the end of the Civil War, scores of websites, articles, and organizations repeat claims that anywhere between 500 and 100,000 free and enslaved African Americans fought willingly as soldiers in the Confederate army. But as Kevin M. Levin argues, such claims would have shocked anyone who served in the army during the war itself. Levin explains that imprecise contemporary accounts, poorly understood primary source material, and rising backlash against African Americans’ gains in civil rights have helped fuel the rise of the black Confederate myth. A pre-talk reception begins at 5:30 PM; the speaking program begins at 6:00 PM. There is a $10 per person fee (no charge for MHS Fellows and Members or EBT cardholders).

On Thursday, 19 September, at 6:00 PM: The MHS hosts its 10th annual Graduate Student Reception. Calling all graduate students and faculty! Please join us at our annual Graduate Student Reception for students in history, American Studies, and related fields. Enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres as you meet colleagues from other universities working in your field. Take a behind-the-scenes tour and learn about the resources the MHS offers to support your scholarship, from research fellowships to our seminar series.

On Saturday, 21 September at 4:00 PM: Can They Do It? Divisions on the Road to the 19th Amendment with Allison K. Lange, Wentworth Institute of Technology; Corinne T. Field, University of Virginia; Manisha Sinha, University of Connecticut; and Barbara F. Berenson. The women’s suffrage movement was not always a cohesive or inclusive space for everyone who fought for the vote, nor did the Nineteenth Amendment bring about political enfranchisement for all women. Conflicts around political philosophy, campaign tactics, and most notably, issues of race, led to a movement that was deeply fractured. Our panel will further examine the divisions inherent in the movement and will look at how other social reform activists have historically struggled with coalition building and intersectionality. This program is made possible through the co-sponsorship of the Greater Boston Women’s Vote Centennial (presented by Mayor Walsh’s Office of Women’s Advancement). A pre-talk reception begins at 3:30 PM; the speaking program begins at 4:00 PM.

“Can She Do It?”: Massachusetts Debates a Woman’s Right to Vote is open Monday and Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and Tuesday from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Featuring dynamic imagery from the collection of the MHS, the exhibition illustrates the passion on each side of the suffrage question. For over a century, Americans debated whether women should vote. The materials on display demonstrate the arguments made by suffragists and their opponents. While women at the polls may seem unremarkable today, these contentious campaigns formed the foundations for modern debates about gender and politics.

Please note that on Saturday, 21 September the MHS library will close at 3:00 PM.

Posted in This Week @MHS

The Human Element in War & Disease: The Emerson P. Dibble Papers

By Mary Millage, Reader Services Intern

Mary Millage completed her internship in the Reader Services department in Summer 2019. Her major project was compiling a subject guide for the history of infectious disease in Boston. This blog post came out of that research and highlights one of the collections Mary worked with as part of that project.

 – Anna Clutterbuck-Cook, Reference Librarian.

Photograph of Emerson Dibblie
Emerson P. Dibble, circa 1918

In July 1918, Emerson P. Dibble was 20 years old, and had just arrived at Parris Island, SC for training in the United States Marine Corps in the midst of the First World War. He was far from his hometown of Southwick, MA, and excited to embark on his new adventure. Ten months later, he was back in the United States after serving in Germany and France and surviving the influenza pandemic. In that time, he had matured a great deal, spent time in numerous military camps and hospitals, and contracted tuberculosis, which would eventually kill him. His letters home during this time are filled with personality, and by reading his words, it is easy to picture this lively young man as he relayed his experiences to his family.

Although his letters primarily cover just a few short years, they provide a human lens through which to examine important topics, such as the First World War and the influenza pandemic. Despite never seeing combat while in Europe, Dibble’s letters describe many aspects of soldiering, from drill to guard duty to the food. His letters shine light on the less glamorous day-to-day features of military life. He writes about many topics that most soldiers could speak to—food, care packages, camp conditions—but that do not fit the typical image of the First World War’s trenches and battles. Throughout his time in the military, Dibble retains his sense of humor and excitement about new experiences. He describes eating watermelon on the train ride to Parris Island, working in the kitchens at a military hospital in Bordeaux, and meeting French girls. He also describes the harsher realities of war: homesickness, worrying about his family, and the inconsistencies of the mail delivery. Across ten months, he matures a great deal without losing his sense of humor and liveliness.

Emerson P. Dibble letter written 27 March 1919,
Emerson P. Dibble to Millie Holcomb Dibble, 27 March 1919, discussing the food at the military hospital in Bordeaux, France

The portions of his letters that most clearly show his maturation are those that discuss the influenza pandemic. Dibble’s letters display the evolution of his feelings about the influenza and his fears for his family back home. At first, he is unconcerned with the outbreak and is convinced that it is simply the common flu. As time goes on and he begins to hear of the seriousness of the outbreak, and especially once he is in Europe and large passages of time go by without letters from home, he becomes increasingly concerned about his family and fearful of hearing that any of them are sick. Despite Dibble himself falling ill with influenza, he is still most concerned about his family and their health. Through these letters, the fear he was feeling and the uncertainty of the time are clear and moving. He even writes to his stepmother, Millie, that if it was not for his fiancé, Olive, he “wouldn’t care a d—n about coming back to the States if either” Millie or his father died of influenza (Emerson P. Dibble to Millie Holcomb Dibble, 18 January 1919).

Emerson P. Dibble letter discussing French girls
Emerson P. Dibble to Millie Holcomb Dibble, 27 March 1919, discussing French girls

Through his letters, you really get a sense of Dibble and feel connected to him. The happiness and hardships he faced blend together into a compellingly human story. He was bored by the regimentation of the military but felt it was good for him, he frequently used slang in his letters and enjoyed learning French and German phrases, and he worried about his family while urging them not to worry about him. By the time he returns to the United States in May of 1919, you feel connected to this young man, which is part of why the last years of his papers are so difficult to read. When he returned to the United States, he was already ill with tuberculosis, although he did not yet know this. In three years, he was dead. He returned stateside happy to be close to going home and convinced that the doctors would soon cure him. His fast decline is jarring and heartbreaking. He was of his time, a time that was deadly through war and disease. His letters are full of personality and provide us with an unflinchingly human look at the time in which he lived. Although Emerson P. Dibble did not live to be very old, his letters can teach us a great deal about him and the time in which he lived.

Posted in From Our Collections

This Week @MHS

We have a couple of evening programs and a gallery talk scheduled at the MHS this week. Here is a look:

On Tuesday, 10 September, at 6:00 PM: Properties of Empire: Indians, Colonists, & Land Speculators on the New England with Ian Saxine. Properties of Empire challenges assumptions about the relationship between Indigenous and imperial property creation in early America. Many colonists came to believe their prosperity depended on acknowledging Indigenous land rights and Wabanaki Indians’ unity allowed them to forcefully project their own interpretations of poorly remembered land deeds and treaties. The ongoing struggle to construct a commonly agreed-upon culture of landownership shaped diplomacy, imperial administration, and matters of colonial law in powerful ways, and its legacy remains with us today. A pre-talk reception begins at 5:30 PM; the speaking program begins at 6:00 PM. There is a $10 per person fee (no charge for MHS Fellows and Members or EBT cardholders).

On Thursday, 12 September, at 6:00 PM: Benjamin Franklin’s Influence on Jewish Thought & Practice with Shai Afsai. In his 20s, Benjamin Franklin resolved to perfect his character, devising a self-improvement method to aid him in the challenging task of becoming virtuous and intending to complete a book on its use. This method was eventually incorporated into the Jewish ethical tradition through the publication, in 1808, of Rabbi Mendel Lefin’s Book of Spiritual Accounting, which made it available to Hebrew-reading audiences. Shai Afsai discusses this surprising historical development, which has often confused Judaic scholars, and of which Franklin specialists have been largely oblivious. A pre-talk reception begins at 5:30 PM; the speaking program begins at 6:00 PM. There is a $10 per person fee (no charge for MHS Fellows and Members or EBT cardholders).

On Friday, 13 September, at 2:00 PM: Abigail Adams: Independence & Ideals, pop-up display and talk. Join an Adams Papers editor for an in-depth look at the display. Never “an uninterested Spectator” when it came to the American political landscape, Abigail Adams leveraged a wide network of correspondents to discuss her vision of the emerging nation. The display will be on view through 21 September.

On Saturday, 14 September, at 10:00 AM: The History & Collections of the MHS. This is a 90-minute docent-led walk through of our public rooms. The tour is free and open to the public. If you would like to bring a larger party (8 or more), please contact Curator of Art Anne Bentley at 617-646-0508 or abentley@masshist.org.

“Can She Do It?”: Massachusetts Debates a Woman’s Right to Vote is open Monday and Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and Tuesday from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Featuring dynamic imagery from the collection of the MHS, the exhibition illustrates the passion on each side of the suffrage question. For over a century, Americans debated whether women should vote. The materials on display demonstrate the arguments made by suffragists and their opponents. While women at the polls may seem unremarkable today, these contentious campaigns formed the foundations for modern debates about gender and politics.

Please note that on Tuesday, 10 September the MHS library and galleries will open at 12:00 PM.

Posted in This Week @MHS

Announcing 2020-2021 MHS Research Fellowships!

By Katy Morris, Research Coordinator and Book Review Editor

Have you ever wondered about conducting research at the MHS? If you are a local scholar, you can hop on the T, make your way to 1154 Boylston Street, and browse our unparalleled collections. You might even stay for a Brown-bag Lunch program or seminar session and network with other scholars. The robust MHS community is right in your backyard.

But if you aren’t local, you may know that traveling to an archive can be a financial burden. Research trips often translate to short stints, crammed in between a teaching load, writing, and endless commitments. Does this sound familiar?  This is where research fellowships can be a valuable resource. The precious funds fellowships provide can help you carve a few weeks out of your schedule to focus on research. As a grad student or early-career academic, you likely know the difference it makes to secure funding for these trips. As a scholar at any level, you know how generative that immersive research can be.

At the MHS we are proud to offer more than forty research fellowships for the academic year 2020-2021. These opportunities range from short-term funding (4-8 weeks) to long-term residency (4-12 months). We look for cutting-edge research that makes significant historiographical contributions and that effectively uses our unique collections. To learn more about our fellowship opportunities – including eligibility, application requirements, and past recipients – be sure to visit our website and review the FAQ.

Our new and improved submission portal is now open and accepting applications. We look forward to reviewing your proposals!

MHS Research Fellowships:

The Society will offer at least two MHS-NEH Long-term Fellowships made possible by an award from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The stipend, governed by an NEH formula, is $5,000 per month (plus an additional stipend for housing and professional expenses) for a minimum of four months and a maximum of twelve months continuous tenure. These fellowships are for scholars conducting research in the Society’s collections who have completed the terminal degree in their field (typically a Ph.D.) by the application deadline. DEADLINE: JANUARY 15, 2020 

MHS Short-term Fellowships carry a stipend of $2,000 to support four or more weeks of research in the Society’s collections. In addition to general awards, short term fellowships include thematic awards, such as those in African American studies, New England history, American religious history, environmental history, military history, women’s history, and the histories of graphic and printed materials. One application automatically puts you into consideration for any applicable short-term fellowships. Graduate students, faculty, and independent researchers are welcome to apply. We will offer more than twenty short-term fellowships in the coming year. DEADLINE: MARCH 1, 2020

For those studying the U.S. Civil War, its causes, or its memory, the Boston Athenaeum and the MHS will offer one Suzanne and Caleb Loring Fellowship on the Civil War, Its Origins, and Consequences. Fellows spend at least four weeks at each institution. This fellowship carries a stipend of $4,000. DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 15, 2020

The Society also participates in the New England Regional Fellowship Consortium. Thirty cultural institutions will offer a minimum of twenty fellowships in 2020-2021. These grants provide a stipend of $5,000 for minimum of eight weeks of research conducted at three or more participating institutions. With an NERFC (or “nerf-c” as it is affectionately known) you will enter the incredible network of New England archives and cultural institutions that will help you make new discoveries. DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 1, 2020

Posted in MHS News Tagged