Event

Italian Influence on Boston's Culture, Economy & Politics

Wednesday, April 10, 2024 6:00 PM - 7:00 AM EST
Hybrid / NOTE: times are shown in EST

Lawrence DiCara, civic leader

James Pasto, historian

This is a hybrid event. FREE for MHS Members. $10 per person fee (in person). No charge for virtual attendees or Card to Culture participants (EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare). The in-person reception starts at 5:30 and the program will begin at 6:00.

Register to attend in person

Register to attend online

Though late-19th century Italian immigrants to Boston faced discrimination and language barriers, they found opportunities; built churches, clubs, and support networks; and created flourishing cultural, economic, and political communities. Join civic leader Lawrence DiCara and historian James Pasto as they reflect on the impact of the Italian community on Boston. Drawing on history and memory, our speakers will consider the challenges and opportunities for immigrants in the past; reflect on the contributions Italians have made to the culture, politics, and economy of Boston; and debunk common myths.

Hybrid Event

The in-person reception starts at 5:30 PM and the program will begin at 6:00 PM. If you have questions about the in-person event, please contact Olivia Sayah at 617-646-0580 or osayah@masshist.org. 

Masks are optional for this event. 

The virtual program begins at 6:00 PM and will be hosted on the meeting platform Zoom. Registrants will receive a confirmation message with attendance information. 

Upcoming Events

Social Reform and Identity Formation in the 17th Century - A Panel Discussion
Social Reform and Identity Formation in the 17th Century - A Panel Discussion
Hybrid / NOTE: times are shown in EST
Tuesday, April 1, 2025 5:00 PM - 6:15 PM EST
This panel investigates forms of social control in 17th century New England. Arthur George Kamya’s paper examines the regulation of distilled liquor in 17th century Massachusetts Bay Colony, exploring how authorities navigated competing moral, economic, and security imperatives. Initially targeting a cross-section of colonists, liquor laws evolved to focus on servants, Native Americans, and eventually African Americans. The colony's approach shifted from moral censure to pragmatic revenue generation, with officials using fines and licenses to fund government operations. Kamya’s study illuminates how alcohol regulation became a tool of social control, state-building, and the construction of racial hierarchies in colonial New England, offering insights into the complex interplay between commerce, governance, and identity formation in early America. As discussed in Alice King’s work, Connecticut adopted a notable strategy towards certain Indigenous populations during the initial decades of settlement, attempting to control and exploit Native communities by turning them into colonial tributaries who would provide essential supplies, wampum, and military aid. King’s paper considers the evolution of tributary politics at the end of the seventeenth century after the Dominion of New England and Glorious Revolution had destabilized colonial authority and left colonists vulnerable to attack by French and Native forces, including the Wabanaki Confederacy during King William’s War, 1689-1697, when Connecticut leaders sought to raise soldiers for New England’s defense from these historic tributary communities.
see all events

The Latest

Blog
Video
Podcast