newsletter

May 2012

John F. Kennedy Medal to be Awarded at Annual Meeting

On 16 May the MHS will present the John F. Kennedy Medal to MHS Corresponding Fellow and Alva O. Way University Professor and Professor of History Emeritus at Brown University Gordon S. Wood, a leading historian of 18th-century America. Awarded to persons who have rendered distinguished service to the cause of history, it is the highest award given by the Society. Since 1964, ten historians have received the Kennedy Medal including Samuel Eliot Morison, Dumas Malone, Thomas Boylston Adams, Oscar Handlin, Edmund S. Morgan, Alfred DuPont Chandler, Jr., Bernard Bailyn, John Hope Franklin, Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., and Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. Read more about Gordon S. Wood and the Kennedy Medal.



The annual meeting will be held on Wednesday, 16 May, beginning at 5:00 PM with the business meeting for elected MHS Fellows. At 6:00 PM Fellows and Members are invited to attend the presentation of the Kennedy Medal and hear remarks by Professor Wood, which will be followed by a reception. Reservations are required.

Adams Papers Receive Florence Gould Foundation Grant

The MHS is grateful to announce that the Florence Gould Foundation, established to promote French-American amity and understanding, will continue to support the Adams Papers editorial project through a new three-year grant of $75,000 to begin in 2013. This grant will help support work on the Papers of John Adams, volumes 17 and 18, and Adams Family Correspondence, volume 12. These volumes cover the beginning of John Adams' service as minister to Great Britain, when the United States was seeking to create a network of trade and diplomatic allies across Europe, and the first years of his presidency, when tensions between the United States and France were on the rise.

Guide to the Catharine Maria Sedgwick Papers Now Online

The collection guide to the Catharine Maria Sedgwick papers is now available online. Catharine Maria Sedgwick (1789-1867) was a member of the illustrious Sedgwick family of western Massachusetts and a prolific antebellum author. She wrote many novels and short stories between 1822 and 1862, including A New-England Tale, Redwood, Hope Leslie, Clarence, Married or Single?, and The Linwoods. Very popular in her time and praised by many of her contemporaries, including William Cullen Bryant, James Fenimore Cooper, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Harriet Martineau, and Edgar Allan Poe, Sedgwick was largely overlooked by scholars in the century following her death, and most of her books were out of print for decades. Recently, however, there has been a resurgence of interest in her life and work. Now, thanks to a grant from the Sedgwick Family Charitable Trust, the new and improved Catharine Maria Sedgwick guide is available to researchers both on and offsite.

Give the Gift of History for Graduation

"From him I was Sent to Colledge in 1751, Had my first degree of course in 1755. kept the Latin School in Worcester and read Law with Colonel James Putnam till 1758 when I had my Second degree at Colledge and was admitted an Attorney at Law by the Court of common Pleas in the County of Suffolk."

–Letter from John Adams to Thomas Dawes, 28 July 1821



When John Adams entered Harvard, at the time comprising just a hundred students, it was one of only four colleges in existence in the American colonies. Adams ranked at the top of his class academically and, although his father hoped his son would become a clergyman, by the time he graduated he had other plans in mind. If you are looking for the perfect way to honor a recent graduate and history-lover in your life, why not give the gift of MHS membership? Members receive invitations to special events; discounts on select MHS publications; and subscriptions to Miscellany, the Society's semi-annual printed newsletter, and the Massachusetts Historical Review, the Society's annual journal. In addition, a gift of membership helps support the Society's mission to collect, preserve, and share the documents of America's past. Order now to take advantage of our $35 student rate (including undergrad and grad), and $75 Associate Member rate (age 40 and under).

Watch the Architecture of Edmund March Wheelwright Symposium Online

The MHS is pleased to present online this fascinating Fellows- and Members-only symposium it hosted with the Harvard Lampoon. A panel of architecture and Lampoon enthusiasts discussed the work of Edmund March Wheelwright and the building of the Harvard Lampoon Castle. Panelists included Kurt Andersen, Edward L. Widmer, Michael K. Frith, Samuel W. Van Dam, Henry N. Cobb, William S. Donnell, and John Tittmann. MHS Fellows, Members, and friends who could not attend can now view the entire symposium online.

Object of the Month

Mr. Jones's Benefit. Boston Theatre. Friday Evening, November 4, 1796

This broadside, announcing a benefit performance at the Federal Street Theatre in Boston on 4 November 1796, contains the name of the novelist, playwright, and actress, Susanna Haswell Rowson. The playbill lists "Mrs. Rowson" in supporting roles in both Inkle & Yarico, a comic opera by George Colman first performed in London in 1787, and The First Floor: or, the Macaroni Pastry Cook, by James Cobb. She had relatively minor, stock roles in both, but by 1796, Rowson already had several careers—and many adventures—behind her. After a brief interlude at the Federal Street Theatre, she would soon set forth on another, as the proprietor of the first academy for young women in Boston. Read more about Susanna Haswell Rowson and the founding of the Federal Street Theatre.

Looking at the Civil War: Massachusetts Finds Her Voice

May 1862: "I had a fair view of 'Old Abe' as he rode by..."

Letter (extract) from Charles Barnard Fox to Ruth Ann Prouty, 24 May 1862

In this 24 May 1862 letter to Ruth Ann Prouty, Charles Barnard Fox, a lieutenant in the Thirteenth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, describes for his future wife an encounter with "Old Abe." On 23 May 1862, President Lincoln reviewed the First Corps of the Army of the Potomac, which included the Thirteenth Massachusetts. Lincoln routinely reviewed the army in order to inspect the troops, in addition to boosting morale and demonstrating his appreciation for their sacrifice. Lieutenant Fox, in a candid moment of levity, opines that Lincoln was "not likely to be hung for his beauty." However, he notes that Lincoln had a "good honest face" and appeared to be a man who would "do his duty as he sees it, to the best of his ability." Read more about Charles Barnard Fox.

On View

Closing 2 June: A Gilded & Heartbreaking Life: The Photographs of Clover Adams, 1883-1885

Take advantage of this last chance to view the striking photographs of Clover Adams, the wife of historian and author Henry Adams. The images reveal the social scene of Gilded Age Boston and Washington, D.C., while also opening hidden pathways to her inner life. Open through 2 June, the exhibition features many of Clover's images, some of which have not been seen before in a public venue. Other highlights include Clover's many letters and her photography notebook, as well as Henry's letters and other family materials.



View a selection of Clover's photos online at www.masshist.org/features/clover-adams.

The First Seasons of the Federal Street Theatre, 1794-1798

In 1794, the first public theater in Boston opened on Federal Street despite strong legal and public opposition. This exhibition documents the battle over the Federal Street Theatre through playbills from early performances as well as the letters and publications of supporters and opponents of public theater in Boston. The MHS show is a satellite display of an exhibition titled Forgotten Chapters of Boston's Literary History on view at the Boston Public Library. The materials at the MHS will be displayed through 30 July. Learn more at www.bostonliteraryhistory.com.

Exhibitions are free and open to the public, Monday through Saturday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

MHS Events Calendar

Wednesday, 9 May 12:00 PM

Brown-bag

Hari Vishwanadha, Santa Monica College

Yankee Passages to India

Saturday, 12 May 10:00 AM

MHS Tour

The History and Collections of the MHS

Wednesday, 16 May 5:00 PM

Special event for MHS Fellows and Members

MHS Annual Meeting and Kennedy Medal Presentation

Registration required

Saturday, 19 May 10:00 AM

MHS Tour

The History and Collections of the MHS

Wednesday, 23 May 12:00 PM

Brown-bag

Sam Willis

Researching a Naval History of the American Revolution

Wednesday, 23 May 6:00 PM

Author Talk

Jack Larkin, Clark University & Old Sturbridge Village

Where We Worked: A Celebration of America's Workers and the Nation They Built

Pre-Talk Reception at 5:30 PM

Registration required

Wednesday, 30 May 7:00 PM

Author Talk

Andrea Wulf, Historian

Chasing Venus: The Race to Measure the Heavens

The event will take place at the Arnold Arboretum, Weld Hill Research Building

Fee $10 MHS Members and Fellows, $20 nonmember

Registration required: please call 617-384-5277

Saturday, 2 June 10:00 AM

MHS Tour

The History and Collections of the MHS

Tuesday, 5 June 6:00 PM

Public Program

The Fenway Victory Gardens: Finding History Inside and Out

Pre-Program Reception at 5:30 PM

Registration required

Saturday, 9 June 10:00 AM

MHS Tour

The History and Collections of the MHS

All events are free and open to the public and held at the MHS unless otherwise noted. Reservations are requested for most public programs. There is a charge to receive seminar papers in advance.

Save the Date! Annual Open House on Saturday, 16 June

Join us on Saturday, 16 June from 10 AM to 3 PM for our annual Open House, featuring a preview of our summer exhibition, Mr. Madison's War: The Controversial War of 1812. Visitors are invited to participate in tours, listen to talks about the War of 1812, enjoy refreshments, and learn more about the Society's collections, programs, and services.

Brown-bag Lunch Programs Continue Throughout the Summer

Upcoming brown-bag lunch programs include Yankees in India on 9 May, the Revolutionary Navy on 23 May, 18th-century black Boston on 6 June, and Native Americans in Early America on 20 June. Please check the MHS calendar and consider joining us for these free, informal programs. Brown-bags begin at noon. Participants are welcome to bring a lunch; the MHS provides soft drinks. We hope to see you there.

For complete event and RSVP information, visit the MHS online calendar: www.masshist.org/events.

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