By Dan Hinchen

The events schedule is full this week. Without further ado, here’s a look at what’s coming up.

– Monday, 14 November, 6:00PM : Kicking off the week is an author talk featuring Wendy Warren of Princeton University. She will be speaking about her recent book, New England Bound : Slavery and Colonization in Early America, a work that reclaims the lives of long-forgotten enslaved Africans and Native Americans in the seventeenth century. This talk is open to the public with a fee of $10 (no charge for MHS Members or Fellows), RSVP required. A pre-talk reception begins at 5:30PM followed by the program at 6:00PM.

– Tuesday, 15 November, 5:15PM : This week’s Environmental History seminar takes the form of a panel discussion. “Native Peoples, Livestock, and the Environment” features Katrina Lacher of Unversity of Central Oklahoma and Strother Roberts of Bowdoin College, with Nancy Shoemaker of UConn providing comment. Seminars are free and open to the public; RSVP required. Subscribe to receive advance copies of the seminar papers.

– Wednesday, 16 November, 6:00PM : In the second author talk of the week, Riachard Alan Ryerson discusses his book John Adams’s Republic: The One, the Few, and the Many. This talk is open to the public with a fee of $10 (no charge for MHS Members or Fellows), RSVP required. A pre-talk reception begins at 5:30PM followed by the program at 6:00PM.

Please note that the library is closed on Thursday, 17 November.

– Thursday, 17 November, 6:00PM : Join us for Revolutionary Portraits from the Collections of the MHS, a fun and festive evening that spotlights portraits of Revolutionary-era figures from the Society’s collection. Enjoy a reception, view terrific works of art, and learn about the artists and the people they portrayed. Erica Hirshler, MFA, Boston, will present Copley’s John Hancock and David Dearinger, Boston Athenæum, will present Lafayette: Before & After. 

Reservations are required; please call the Development Office at 617-646-0543 to register for this event.

– Friday, 18 November, 2:00PM : Stop by on Friday for an afternoon gallery talk with past MHS Director, WIlliam Fowler, Jr., of Northeastern University. In this talk, Mr. Fowler will discuss George Washington’s Newburgh Address as a turning point in American History, ensuring civilian control of the government. This even is free and open to the public. 

– Saturday, 19 November, 10:00AM : The History and Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society Tour is a 90-minute docent-led walk through our public rooms. The tour is free, open to the public, with no need for reservations. 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.

While you’re here you will also have the opportunity to view our current exhibition: Turning Points in American History.

By Dan Hinchen

It is a little bit quieter at the Society this week but we still have three public programs on offer. Here is what is happening:

– Monday, 7 November, 12:00PM : “The Church Militant: The American Loyalist Clergy and the Making of the British Counterrevolution, 1701-92” is a Brown Bag talk presented by Peter Walker of Columbia University. This project is a study of the loyalist Church of England clergy in the American Revolution, focusing on the New England and Mid-Atlantic colonies. Walker attempts to shine light on the relationship between church and empire, the role of religious pluralism and toleration in the American Revolution, and the dynamics of loyalist politics. This program is open to the public free of charge. Pack up a lunch and come on in!

– Thursday, 10 November, 5:30PM : Join us for a Conversation with Fredrik Logevall, part of our Biography Seminar series. Caroly Bundy will moderate the discussion in which Logevall, Harvard University, talks about his current book project, a biography of John F. Kennedy. Seminars are free and open to the public; RSVP required. Subscribe to receive advance copies of the seminar papers.

– Saturday, 12 November, 10:00AM : The History and Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society Tour is a 90-minute docent-led walk through our public rooms. The tour is free, open to the public, with no need for reservations. 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.

While you’re here you will also have the opportunity to view our current exhibition: Turning Points in American History.

N.B.: The MHS is CLOSED on Friday, 11 November, in observance of Veteran’s Day.

By Dan Hinchen

Looking for a little history in your life? Here is what’s on tap for public consumption at the Society this week…

– Tuesday, 1 November, 5:15PM : Join us for an Early American History seminar with John Wood Sweet of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “Rape, Recourse, and the Law of Seduction in the Early Republic” looks at the 1793 case of Henry Bedlow, tried but not convicted for the rape of Lanah Sawyer. The case offers a window into the use of civil law in sexual assault cases and prompts readers to consider how women struggling for recourse can become pawns in battles between men over money and masculine honor. Richard D. Brown, University of Connecticut, provides comment. Seminars are free and open to the public; RSVP required. Subscribe to receive advance copies of the seminar papers.

– Wednesday, 2 November, 12:00PM : Research fellow Franklin Sammons, University of California, Berkeley, offers new insights into the transformation of the Southeastern borderlands and emergence of the Cotton Kingdom with his current project. Come in to hear his Brown Bag talk, “The Long Life of Yazoo: Land Speculation, Finance, and Dispossession in the Southeastern Borderlands, 1789-1840,” and learn more about his research. This talk is free and open to the public. 

– Thursday, 3 November, 6:30PM : “Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College?” With the current election cycle winding down, this is a question that many Americans find themselves asking. Join us for a talk by author and historian Alexander Keyssar, Harvard Kennedy School of Government, as he traces the origins of the Electoral College. This talk is open to the public but registration is required with a fee of $20 (no charge for MHS Fellows and Members). A pre-talk reception begins at 5:30PM and the event starts at 6:30PM. 

– Saturday, 5 November, 9:00AM : Calling all educators! Explore presidential campaign propaganda from our nation’s first election all the way through to twentieth-century battles for the White House. “We Need Your Vote! Election Propaganda from Adams to Roosevelt” is a teacher workshop in which participants will examine documents and artifacts from three different centuries to discuss different strategies used to appeal to voter during specific campaigns. To register, complete this registration form or contact the MHS education department: dbeardsley@masshist.org; 617-646-0570.

– Saturday, 5 November, 1:00PM : Also on Saturday is another installment of Begin at the Beginning, this time looking at the “Lord of Misrule: Thomas Morton’s Battle with Puritan New England.” Writer/illustrator E.J. Barnes leads the discussion through exploration of her comic story of Morton’s conflct with Massachusetts and Plimoth in Colonial Comics: New England, 1620-1750. This talk is free and open to the public, registration required. 

And as always, our current exhibition, Turning Points in American History, is open to the public free of charge. The galleries are open Monday-Saturday, 10:00AM-4:00PM. Come on in!

By Dan Hinchen

It’s another active week here at the Society, chock full of programs to take in. Here is what we have on tap:

– Tuesday, 25 October, 5:15PM : Drawn from his forthcoming book, Welcome to Fairyland, Julio Capó of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, presents “‘A Shiftless, Undesirable Class’: The Sexual Policing of Miami’s Bahamian Community in the Early Twentieth Century.” This Modern American Society and Culture Seminar traces how urban authorities policied the perceived “suspect” sexualities of Miami’s temporary and permanent settlers from the Bahamas. Michael Bronski of Harvard University provides comment. Seminars are free and open to the public; RSVP required. Subscribe to receive advance copies of the seminar papers.

– Wednesday, 26 October, 12:00PM : Stop by for a Brown Bag lunch talk, this time Ross Nedervelt of Florida International University. His talk, titled “The Pull of a Revolutionary America: The British Atlantic Island in the American Revolution” focuses on a research project that examines the political, economic, and social influence the revolutionary American colonies had on the British Atlantic island of Bermuda and the Bahamas from 1763 through the 1780s. This talk is free and open to the public so pack a lunch and come on in!

– Wednesday, 26 October, 6:30PM : The Merriam-Webster Thesaurus lists “prudish,” “straightlaced,” and “puritanical” as synonyms. But historical records challenge the stereotype of Puritans’ repressive views and behaviors. In “Ravishing Affection: Myths and Realities About Puritans and Sex,” author Francis J. Bremer attemps to dispel the myth and set the record straight. This program will take place at the Old South Meeting House, 310 Washington St, Boston. The program is open to the public, free of charge, but registraiton is required. 

– Thursday, 27 October, 6:00PM : Author, historian, and national speaker Jacquline Berger goes behind the scenes with pictures and stories that bring history to life and uncover a remarkable “sorority of women”: First Ladies. This talk is open to the public and registration is required for a fee or $10 (no charge for MHS Members and Fellows). A pre-talk reception begins at 5:30PM and the program beings at 6:00PM. 

– Friday, 28 October, 12:00PM : The second Brown Bag talk this week is presented by Jessica Farrell of the University of Minnesota. “From ‘Indespensible’ to ‘Demoralizing and Obstructive’: Education as a Critical Site for the Assertion and Contestation of American Empire in 19th-Century Liberia” stems from a larger dissertation project which investigates what was at stake in the contestations between LIberian sovereignty and America imperial fomations in Liberia and the United States during the nineteenth century. This talk is free and open to the public. 

By Dan Hinchen

Here we are again with the round-up of events in the week to come at the Society.

– Wednesday, 19 October, 12:00PM : “The Nature of Colonization: Natives, Colonists, and the Environment in New England, 1400-1750” examines how the natural world shaped and was shaped by the interactions between Native Americans and English settlers. In this Brown Bag talk, Nathan Fell of the University of Houston also explores how the dynamics of empire influenced English management of the environment in the colonies. This talk is free and open to the public. 

– Wednesday, 19 October, 6:00PM : As we approach an election that promises far-reaching ramifications, we look back at previous periods of tumult in American democracy. “Democracy in Crisis: Four Elections” is a panel discussion that explores the legacies of four previous presidential elections and the question of what this history suggests for our country’s current trajectory. This talk is open only to MHS Fellows and Members, and registration is required. A pre-talk reception begins at 5:30PM and the program commences at 6:00PM. 

– Thursday, 20 October, 6:00PM : Join us for a talk with Nonie Gadsden of the Museum of Fine Arts as she explores and contextualizes the efforts of the Eliot School, exploring how the School related to the rise of manual arts training and the advent of the Arts and Crafts Momvement. “Art, Craft, and Reform: The Eliot School, Manual Arts Training, and the Arts and Crafts Movement” is open to the public for a fee of $10 (no charge for MHS Members or Fellows). A pre-talk reception begins at 5:30PM and the progam begins at 6:00PM. 

– Friday, 21 October, 2:00PM : Come in Friday for a special afternoon public program with Felicity Tsering Chödron Hamer. In a talk entitled “Helen F. Stuart and the Birth of Spirit Photography in Boston,” Hamer argues for a more foundational placement of women within the narrative of personal mourning rituals. This talk is free and open to the public. 

Please note that the teacher workshop scheduled for Saturday, 22 October, was CANCELED. Please consider the next teacher workshop taking place on Saturday, 5 November. 

By Dan Hinchen

It is a holiday-shortened week for the staff here at the Society, but we still have five days of programs to take in. Please note that the library is closed on Monday, 10 October, for Columbus Day, and will re-open on Tuesday, 11 October. Here is what is on tap this week:

– Monday, 10 October, 10:00AM : The MHS again participates in the Opening Our Doors program hosted by the Fenway Alliance. Stop by, 10:00AM-3:00PM to explore our Turning Points exhibition, which explores 15 decisive moments when everything changes or a process began that would change what followed. For more information about Opening Our Doors, please visit http://fenwayculture.org/programming/opening-our-doors/ 

– Tuesday, 11 October, 5:15PM : “Adapting Capitalism to Climates: Entrepreneurs, Stock, and Transcontinental Telegraphy in the United States, 1844-1861,” is part of the Environmental History Seminar series and features Edmund Russell of Boston University. This essay focuses on the models of capital accumulation employed in building the telegraph and on the financial models and environments that made regional telegraph networks with different features. Merritt Roe Smith of MIT provides comments. Seminars are free and open to the public; RSVP required. Subscribe to receive advance copies of the seminar papers.

– Wednesday, 12 October, 12:00PM : “Henry Cabot Lodge and the Decline of the Eastern Establishment” is the research project of Luke A. Nichter of Texas A&M University. In this Brown Bag talk, Nichter discusses his research into the life of this senator, statesman, presidential advisor, and presidentail candidate by popular demand, whose political career stretched from the 1930s to the 1970s, and who, up to now, has escaped biographical treatment. This talk is free and open to the public. 

– Wednesday, 12 October, 6:00PM : When it comes to transportation, Boston has a history of innovative, amibitious thinking and groundbreaking projects, yet today, Boston’s public transportation is facing serious challenges. “Getting the MBTA Back-on-Track” is a panel discussion which will explore the history of the MBTA, how the current situation came to be, and what we can expect in the future. This program is open to the public for a fee of $20 (no charge for MHS Members and Fellows), and registration is required. A pre-talk reception begins at 5:30PM, followed by the program at 6:00PM. 

– Friday, 14 October, 2:00PM : Stop by Friday afternoon for a gallery talk with Peter Drummey, Stephen T. Riley Librarian of the MHS. “Turning Point: Ether as an Anesthetic” looks at the innovation that led to the its first use in surgery and the revolution it produced. This talk is free and open to the public. 

– Saturday, 15 October, 10:00AM : The History and Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society Tour is a 90-minute docent-led walk through our public rooms. The tour is free, open to the public, with no need for reservations. 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.

While you’re here you will also have the opportunity to view our current exhibition: Turning Points in American History.

By Dan Hinchen

Our program schedule is ramping-up as we enter October. Here’s a quick look at all of the events on offer in the week ahead:

– Monday, 3 October, 6:00PM : The first program of the week is an author talk with James Traub. Join us for a talk about his new book, John Quincy Adams: Militant Spirit, which tells the story of a brillian, flinty, and unyielding man whose life exemplified political courage. This talk is open to the public and registration is required at a price of $10 (no charge for MHS Members or Fellows). A pre-talk reception begins at 5:30PM with the program starting at 6:00PM.

– Tuesday, 4 October, 5:15PM : “Reconsidering Slavery and Slave Law in Early Massachusetts” is the next installment in the Society’s Early American History series. Largely considered unexceptional in its attitude towards slavery – even culpable for laying a foundation for slavery – in this paper, Holly Brewer of the University of Maryland offers a nuanced reading fo the MAssachusetts policy debates of the 1640s to emphasize considerable resistance to the ideas of forced labor. Comment provided by Annette Gordon-Reed of Harvard Law School. Seminars are free and open to the public; RSVP required. Subscribe to receive advance copies of the seminar papers.

– Wednesday, 5 October, 12:00PM : “Reading Textiles as Text: An Examination of Pre-1750s Survivals at MHS” is a Brown Bag talk with Kimberly Alexander of the University of New Hampshire. The project sets the experience of fashion, consumerism, and consumption within a cosmopolitan Atlantic world, with particular attention paid to the textiles associated with the Byles and Hancock families in Boston. This talk is free and open to the public. 

– Friday, 7 October, 12:00PM : The second Brown Bag talk of the week is titled “A Muss Among the Flunkies: Unruly Choristers and Instrumentalists in the Antebellum Opera.” Presented by Rachel Miller of University of Michigan, this project traces how the haphazard strikes of anonymous choristers and instrumentalists – “a muss among the flunkies” – grew into the nation’s first performers’ unions and protective associations, which in turn continue to shape our contemporary ideas and practices of creative work. This talk is free and open to the public.

– Friday, 7 October, 2:00PM : “Turning Point: The U.S. Constitution” features Kyle Jenks, a James Madison reenactor, who will discuss Elbridge Gerry’s criticism of the Constitution. This event is free and open to the public. 

– Saturday, 8 October, 10:00AM : The History and Collections of the MHS is a 90-minute docent-led walk through our public rooms. The tour is free, open to the public, with no need for reservations. If you would like to bring a larger party (8 or more), please contact Curator of Art Anne Bentley at 617-646-0508 orabentley@masshist.org.

While you’re here you will also have the opportunity to view our current exhibition: Turning Points in American History.

By Dan Hinchen

As September draws to a close, seminar season kicks into gear and with it comes a slew of public programs in the weeks ahead. Here’s what’s on tap this week:

– Tuesday, September 27, 8:00AM : Local innovators, investors, and influencers share their insights and perspectives on the history and future of innovation in the Boston region, a locale known for breakthroughs and firsts. The History and Future of Mass Innovation addresses such questions as: Why has Boston been the key center of social and technological change? What can community and business leaders and local governments do to nurture the factors that promote innovation? This talk is free and open to the public, though registraiton is required. This program will be held at the Stratton Student Center at MIT – 84 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139.

– Tuesday, September 27, 5:15PM : The first seminar of the fall is part of the newly named Modern American Society and Culture series. Donna Murch of Rutgers University presents “The Color of War: Race, Neoliberalism, and Punishment in Late 20th Century Los Angeles.”  Drawing on the recent history of urban rebellions and punishment campaigns stemming from the late 1960s, this presentation will place our current movement for black lives in historical context. Andrew Darien of Salem State University provides comment. Seminars are free and open to the public; RSVP required. Subscribe to receive advance copies of the seminar papers.

– Wednesday, September 28, 12:00PM : “A Hero of Two Worlds” is a Brown Bag talk presented by Sam Allis which explores a recently published work of historical fiction set in Rome in the early 1860s, when the great fight to unify Italy into a country was raging. The work features a protagonist who hails from Bangor, Maine, as well as a group of Boston expatriates. This event is free and open to the public. 

– Thursday, September 29, 5:30PM : The second seminar of the week is part of the History of Women and Gender series. “Developing Women: Global Poverty, U.S. Foreign Aid, and the Politics of Productivity in the 1970s” emerges from a chapter of a book-in-progress on US involvement campaigns to end global poverty in the 1970s and 1980s. Joanne Meyerowitz of Yale University leads the program with Priya Lal of Boston College providing comment. Seminars are free and open to the public; RSVP required. Subscribe to receive advance copies of the seminar papers. This event takes place at the Schlesinger Library at Harvard University

– Saturday, October 1, 10:00AM : The History and Collections of the MHS is a 90-minute, docent-led walk through the public spaces at the Society’s home on Boylston St. The tour is free and open to the public with no need for reservations for individuals or small groups. Larger parties (8 or more) should contact Curator of Art Anne Bentley in advance at 617-646-0508 or abentley@masshist.org. While you’re here you will also have the opportunity to view our current exhibition: Turning Points in American History.

– Saturday, October 1, 1:00PM : Join us for a public discussion of Puritan writings to discover just how fervently they loved in marriage and in faith, contrary to popular belief. “Sweet Talk – The Passion of Puritans in LEtters, Diaries, and Sermons” is part of the Begin at the Beginning series sponsored by the Partnership of Historic Bostons. Lori Stokes and Sarah Stewart guide the conversation. This program is open to the public free of charge, though registration is required. 

By Dan Hinchen

Summer officially ends this week. With its demise comes a rise in programs here at the Society. Here is what’s on tap this week:

– Wednesday, 21 September, 6:00PM : With a major election looming, you might wonder what the young vote can do to alter the outcome. First, get some historical perspective. Join us for a public author talk featuring Jon Grinspan of the Smithsonian as he talks about his new book, The Virgin Vote: How Young Americans Made Democracy Social, Politics Personal, and Voting Popular in the Nineteenth Century. Registration is requried for this event with a fee of $10 (no charge for MHS Members or Fellows). A pre-talk reception starts at 5:30PM and the program begins at 6:00PM. 

– Thursday, 22 September, 6:00PM : Calling all graduate students and faculty! Please join us on for our seventh 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.

– Saturday, 24 September, 10:00AM : Come on in for a free tour of the Society’s home at 1154 Boylston St. The History and Collections of the MHS is a 90-minute, docent-led tour of the public spaces at the MHS. The tour is free and open to the public with no need for individuals or small groups to set reservations. Larger parties (8 or more) should contact Curator of Art Anne Bentley in advance at 617-646-0508 or abentley@masshist.org. 

By Dan Hinchen

It is time, once again, for the weekly round-up of events to come here at the MHS. A reminder: be sure to look ahead using our online calendar of events to see the myriad programs we have slated for the fall. But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, here is what this week holds:

– Wednesday, 14 September, 6:00PM : In Confounding Father: Thomas Jefferson’s Image in his Own Time, historian Robert M.S. McDonald explores how Jefferson emerged as a divisive figure in his day. This author talk is open to the public at a fee of $10 (no charge for MHS Members or Fellows) and registration is required. A pre-talk reception begins at 5:30PM followed by the program at 6:00PM. 

– Thursday, 15 September, 6:00PM : MHS Fellows and Members are invited to a special program, reception, and chance to view Turning Points in American History, the current exhibition on display at the Society. With “More Turning Points: Documents & Artifacts That Didn’t Make the Cut,” Stephen T. Riley Librarian Peter Drummey will highlight some of the turning points that did not make it into the exhibition. Guests can then head upstairs to view the exhibition, socialize, and enjoy a reception. Registration is required at no cost, though seating is limited. 

There is no public tour this week.