By Dan Hinchen

On Tuesday, 2 April 2013, Davis Hsiung of Juniata College presents “Making Saltpetre for the Continental Army: How Americans Understood the Environment During the War of Indpendence.” This Early American History Seminar is a case study which examines Americans’ understanding of the workings of the natural world during the Revolutionary era, using the imperfect manufacture of gunpowder for the Continental Army as a backdrop. Mr. Hsiung contends that paying attention to the interatctions between humans and the natural environment leads to a richer understanding of the war, and that our current understanding of, and attitude toward, the environment have their roots in the Revolutionary period. Mr. Rob Martello, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, will provide comment for the seminar. The talk will begin at 5:15pm and is free and open to the public. RSVP required. Subscribe to receive advance copies of the seminar paper.

Then, on Wednesday, 3 April, visit the Society for a midday dose of Lincoln as long-term research fellow Martha Hodes of New York University shares updates about her ongoing research for an upcoming book with “Mourning Lincoln: Shock, Sorrow, Anger, and Glee in the Archives.” In this Brown Bag Lunch talk, Ms. Hodes will discuss delving into private letters and journals in order to get a sense of personal responses to Lincoln’s assassination. Her research spans a wide demographic spectrum including men and women, rich and poor, white and black, prominent and anonymous. The book explores the questions of what these responses to such a convulsive event can tell us about the immediate aftermath of the Civil War and what we can learn by understanding personal reactions to a transformative event. Brown Bag talks are free and open to the public, and begin at 12:00pm.

And on Thursday, 4 April, the MHS hosts a public program as John Stauffer of Harvard University presents “Massachusetts and the Civil War in Black and White: The Commonwealth’s Role in Secession, Emancipation, and Reconstruction.” Mr. Stauffer’s discussion will focus on the contributions made by abolitionists and political leaders in Massachusetts to secession, freedom, and equality under the law. The talk will also look briefly at the state’s response to the “counter-Revolution” that stripped these rights following Reconstruction. The discussion will be followed by a reception, both of which are free and open to the public though registration is required. Mr. Stauffer’s talk will begin at 6:00pm.

The program serves as the keynote address and commencement of the MHS conference Massachusetts and the Civil War: The Commonwealth and National Disunion.This two-day conference will examine Massachusetts’ participation in the war from almost every major aspect: reform activities and the origins of the war; military life; the war, politics, and the economy; slavery and emancipation; and how the citizens of Massachusetts came to terms with the consequences of the conflict. Established scholars and historians on the rise alike will include new areas of emphasis in their discussions, including health and the environment, memory of the war, and the radical intellectual tradition in the state. The event will be broken into six sessions in which panelists and commentators will offer brief remarkss followed by discussion with the audience. Conference papers will be made available in advance for those who preregister. Click here to view the conference program. Registration, with a fee, is required to attend the session. For more information, contact Kate Viens at kviens@masshist.org.

Due to the conference on Friday and Saturday, there will not be a public tour on Saturday, 6 April.

By Dan Hinchen

In like a lion, out like a lamb. And so it goes with the MHS events schedule in this final week of March.

This Wednesday, 27 March 2013, the MHS hosts an author talk with New Jersey City University’s Ellen Gruber Garvey. In this talk, Ms. Garvey will revisit the many perspectives featured in her recent book, Writing with Scissors: American scrapbooks from the Civil War to the Harlem Renaissance. Using scrapbooks as evidence, the book examines how a variety of people organized and made sense of large amounts of information in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Through her research and findings, including work done with materials at the MHS, Ms. Garvey highlights a broad segment of these interpretations, from Mark Twain and an African-American janitor to Susan B. Anthony and Confederate soldiers, to demonstrate the complex nature of the press and its voices. Pre-talk reception begins at 5:30pm and the talk starts at 6:00pm. This is a public program with no cost but registration is required. Contact the education department at 617-646-0560 / education@masshist.org for more informaiton.  

And on Saturday, 30 March, stop by for a free tour that begins at 10:00am.The History and Collectons of the MHS is a 90-minute docent-led tour of the Society’s public spaces and informs visitors of the organization’s history, collections, art, and architecture. The tour is free and open to the public and no reservation is required for individuals and small groups.
Parties of 8 or more should contact the MHS prior to attending a tour. For more information please contact Curator of Art Anne Bentley at 617-646-0508 or abentley@masshist.org.

FInally, remember that there are currently three related exhibits on view now until May 24. “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land: Boston Abolitionists, 1831-1865,” “Forever Free: Lincoln &the Emancipation Proclamation,” and “Lincoln in Manuscript & Artifact,” are open for public viewing at no cost, Monday-Saturday, 10:00am-4:00pm.

By Dan Hinchen

Here is the weekly round-up of events going on at the MHS this week, presented in a 3-2-1 fashion.

First, there are three exhibitions currently on display, all interrelated. The main feature, “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land: Boston Abolitionists, 1831-1865,” highlights the work of Boston abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison and his famed newspaper the Liberator. Through manuscripts, photographs, and artifacts, the exhibit looks at the work of Bostonians to thwart the spread of slavery as well as the fierce resistance met by their radical movement.

In complement to the main feature, the Society has two smaller exhibits which focus on Abraham Lincoln, slavery, and the Emancipation Proclamation. “Lincoln in Manuscript & Artifact” includes a bronze cast of the life mask and hands of Lincoln made by Leonard Volk in 1860 along with a letter to Joshua Speed which demonstrates his evolving views on slavery. In addition, “Forever Free: Lincoln & the Emancipation Proclamation” displays the pen that Lincoln used the sign his famous Proclamation along with paintings, broadsides, and manuscripts that tell the story of Boston’s celebration of the Emancipation. All of these exhibits are free and open to the public, available for viewing Monday-Saturday, 10:00am – 4:00pm.

Next on the calendar, the MHS has two public seminars this week. On Tuesday, 19 March 2013, drop by the MHS for the latest Immigration and Urban History Seminar, “Dynamic Tensions: Charles Atlas, Immigrant Bodybuilders, and Eugenics, 1920-1945.” Dominique Padurano, Scarsdale High School, presents a paper which highlights the paradox of bodybuilders like Charles Atlas who marketed diet and exercise regimens by emphasizing their own innate weaknesses while, at the same time, espousing eugenics techniques of the day. Ms. Padurano also argues that, in a time when the nation was not a hospitable place for foreigners, both techniques served as sorts of assimilation strategies within immigrant and ethnic bodybuilding communities. Martin Summers, Boston College will provide comment. The seminar will begin at 5:15pm and is free and open to the public. RSVP required. Subscribe to receive advance copies of the seminar paper.

Then, visit the Society again on Thursday, 21 March, for “Subjects in Context: The Role of Place in the Writing of Bigoraphy.” In this panel discussion, part of the MHS Biography Seminar series, Carla Kaplan, Diane McWhorter, and Lois Rudnick will present their views on the topic through the prisms of their respective projects. Ms. Kaplan will highlight her forthcoming book on white women in the Harlem Renaissance; Ms. McWhorter will focus on the civil rights struggle and the growth of the military-industrial comples in postwar Alabama; and Ms. Rudnick discuss Mabel Dodge Luhan and her circle of friends in New Mexico. The discussion will be moderated by Carol Bundy. This event is also free and open to the public and will begin at 5:30pm. Again, RSVP required.

And rounding out the countdown this week, there will be one public tour happening. Come in on Saturday, 23 March 2013, for a free docent-led tour of the Society. The History and Collections of the MHS is a 90-minute tour that touches on the history and collections of the MHS, as well as some of the art and architecture on display in the Society’s public rooms. No reservation required for individuals or small groups but parties of 8 or more should contact the MHS prior to attending the tour. For more information, please contact Curator of Art Anne Bentley at 617-646-0508 or abentley@masshist.org. Tour will begin at 10:00am in the lobby.

By Dan Hinchen

It will be an eventful week here at the MHS with plenty of quality public programming for all to enjoy.

Kicking things off on Tuesday, 12 March 2013, is the latest in the Environmental History Seminar series. This edition will see Sarah Sutton, Brandeis University, presenting “The First Local Food Movement: Elizabeth Lowell Putnam and Boston’s Cmpaign for Clean Milk.” The seminar looks at the perceived relationship among rural environments, food consumed in urban areas, and human health through the evolving understanding of bacteriology in the early 20th century, using the Massachusetts Milk Consumers’ Association and the “milk question” as a case study. SUNY-Albany’s Kendra Smith-Howard will provide comment. Seminars are free and open to the public but RSVP is required. Subscribe to receive advance copies of the seminar papers. The event will begin at 5:15pm.

Then, on Wednesday, 13 March 2013, there will be a full house as the Society hosts “An Evening with Margaret Fuller in Italy,” a talk with prize-winning author and MHS Fellow Megan Marshall. Ms. Marshall will read from Margaret Fuller: A New American Life, a biography of the 19th-century heroine who spent her final years as a war correspondent in Rome and Florence. The author reflects on how this period in Ms. Fuller’s life should be remembered given the scandal she created through her love affair with Giovanni Ossoli during the early stages of Italy’s Risorgimento. Complementing the discussion will be a performance by the Folk ensemble Newpoli, who specialize in southern Italian folk music from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. They will focus their energy on the vibrant music emblamatic of Italy at the time and that Ms. Fuller came to adore. Pre-talk reception at 5:30pm, author talk begins at 6:00pm. Advance reservations requested, however, as of Friday, 8 March, registration is closed and the MHS is no longer accepting reservations.

The Historical Society invites new MHS Members and Fellows to enjoy a Reception & Tour. This special event on Thursday, 14 March, is an opportunity to learn more about the Society and its collections. RSVP required and there is no cost to register. For more information, call 617-646-0543.

On Friday, 15 March, join the MHS Art Curator, Anne Bentley, as she shines a spotlight on our current exhibition with “Our Fanatacism: Garrison’s Antislavery Banners.” This gallery talk examines the nature and use of WIlliam Lloyd Garrison’s banners in the 1840s and 1850s for various local fairs and demonstrations that were sponsored by the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. This event is free and open to the public and will begin at 2:00pm. Show up early or stay after to explore the multiple exhibits currently on show and highlighting the fight against slavery in Massachusetts and the nation. Exhibits are free and open to the public Monday-Saturday, 10:00am-4:00pm.

Finally, join us Saturday, 16 March, as our public building tour returns after a couple of weeks off. The History and Collections of the MHS is a 90-minute, docent-led tour that explores the art and architecture of the public spaces here at a1154 Boylston St. Tour begins at 10:00am in the lobby of the MHS and is open to the public at no cost. No reservation is required for small groups but parties of 8 or more are requested to contact the Society in advance of attendance. For more information, please contact Curator of Art, Anne Bentley, at abentley@masshist.org or 617-646-0508.

Plenty of great reasons to shake off the last of the snow and pay the MHS a visit!

By Dan Hinchen

It is time again to check out what events are on tap this week at the Historical Society.

First, on Tuesday, 5 March 2013, join us for our latest in the Early American History Seminar series. Presenting “Blood in the Water: The Pequot War, Kieft’s War, and the Contagion of Coastal Violence,” Andrew Lipman of Syracuse University examines the links between the Anglo-Indian conflict in 1636-1637 and the Dutch-Indian conflict of 1643-1645. The paper deals with the larger implications of seeing these two wars as tandem events and viewing New England and New Netherland as part of a single contested region. Comment will be provided by Katherine Grandjean, Wellesley College. Seminars are free and open to the public though RSVP is required. Subscribe to receive advance copies of the seminar papers.

On Wednesday, 6 March 2013, there will be two events to take advantage of at the Society. Pack a lunch and come by at 12:00pm for a Brown Bag discussion. Independent researcher Charles Wyzanski will share information about his research into the papers of his father when he presents “Charles E. Wyzanski, Jr.: Lawyer, Judge, Public Citizen in Massachusetts and Beyond.” In 1927, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes encouraged the subject to “…realize that every detail has the mystery of the universe behind it and keep up [his] heart with undying faith.” Throughout his life, Mr. Wyzanski, Jr. carried out the advice and had a large influence on the legal, political, intellectual, and moral life of his times, until his death in 1986.

And on Wednesday evening the MHS will present “Walking the Great Beach with a Volume of the MHS ‘Collections’ in Hand,” the next event in the “Object of History” series.This conversation series, hosted by MHS Librarian Peter Drummey, looks at various documents and artifacts from the collections of the Society to see what they can tell us about the characters, events, and issues of the past and the role of the Society in documenting them. In Henry David Thoreau’s Cape Cod, the author describes using an early MHS publication as a sort of antiquarian travel guide — a way of looking back on the landscape he traversed as it had been described almost 50 years earlier. What did the founders of the MHS set out to print and what have later generations made of our early publications? There will be a pre-talk reception starting at 5:30pm with the event kicking-off at 6:00pm. Registration is required and there is a fee for this event. Please contact the education department at 617-646-0557 / education@masshist.org.

Finally, do not forget about the three exhibits currently on display. First is “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land: Boston Abolitionists, 1831-1865.” Through various artifacts, manuscripts, and photographs related to the abolitionist movement, this exhibit demonstrates how Boston emerged as a center for the national antislavery movement in the decades leading up to the Civil War. Included in the display are examples of William Lloyd Garrison’s, the Liberator, the country’s leading abolitionist newspaper, published in Boston beginning in 1831. Also illustrated is the fierce resistance that this radical movement received, not only from Southern slaveholders, but from Northerners, as well.

Complementing this new exhibit are two minor exhibitions that spotlight Abraham Lincoln and the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, an event that occurred on the first day of the new year exactly 150 years ago. All of these exhibits are free and open to the public with opening hours Monday-Saturday, 10:00am-4:00pm. All three will be on view until 24 May 2013.

By Dan Hinchen

This week will be quiet here at the MHS but we still have a couple reasons for you to break your cabin fever and pay us a visit.

First, we are happy to announce the opening of our most recent exhibition, “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land: Boston Abolitionists, 1831-1865.” Through various artifacts, manuscripts, and photographs related to the abolitionist movement, this exhibit demonstrates how Boston emerged as a center for the national antislavery movement in the decades leading up to the Civil War. Included in the display are examples of William Lloyd Garrison’s, the Liberator, the country’s leading abolitionist newspaper, published in Boston beginning in 1831. Also illustrated is the fierce resistance that this radical movement received, not only from Southern slaveholders, but from Northerners, as well.

Complementing this new exhibit are two minor exhibitions that spotlight Abraham Lincoln and the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, an event that occurred on the first day of the new year exactly 150 years ago. All of these exhibits are free and open to the public with opening hours Monday-Saturday, 10:00am-4:00pm. All three will be on view until 24 May 2013.

On Tuesday, 26 February 2013, join us for another installment in the Immigration and Urban History Seminar series. Starting at 5:15pm, David Jaffee of the Bard Graduate Center will present “Seeing in the City: Broadway and the Culture of Vision in 19th Century New York.” With Keith Morgan of Boston University providing comment, Mr. Jaffee explores Broadway as the central location for various case studies of cultural entrepreneurs and as the subject and site of new ways of seeing in the city. Seminars at the Society are free and open to the public though, RSVP is required. Subscribe to receive advance copies of seminar papers.

Finally, make note that this Saturday there will not be a public building tour as the Society plays host to part one of “Writing, Reading, & Preserving Eighteenth-Century Letters,” a two-part teacher workshop. In this workshop, done in conjunction with the Revere House, teachers will learn about the importance of letters as communication tools in the 18th century and as their importance as historical sources today. For more information about the workshop, please contact the Historical Society’s Education Department at 617-646-0557 or education@masshist.org.

And as always, keep an eye on our calendar for information about upcoming events.

By Dan Hinchen

This week is shortened due to the President’s Day holiday but there is still plenty of excitement at the MHS. There is a seminar that is overdue, an exhibit that is right on time, and tour of the MHS building.

First, the next installment of our Early American Seminar series takes place on Tuesday, 19 February. If you remember back to late October, you might recall that there was a little storm that caused some big problems for everyone on the east coast. Hurricane Sandy compelled the MHS to close its doors and shutter its windows for a couple of days and forced the postponement of a seminar. Now it is time to carry on with our scheduled program. Join us at 5:15pm as Daniel Mandell, Truman State University, presents “Revolutionary Ideologies and Wartime Economic Regulation.” This seminar, rescheduled from October 30, is part of a larger study of the notions of equality in America. It will focus on the ideological elements in the conflict over wage and price regulation. as wartime debates created a conceptual gap between calls for economic equality and liberty. Comment provided by Brendan McConville, Boston University. Seminars at the MHS are free and open to the public but RSVP is required. Subscribe here to receive advance copies of the seminar papers.

Then comes the unveiling of the next public exhibit at the Society. In the decades leading up to the Civil War, Boston took center stage in the national movement to promote antislavery. In 1831, William Lloyd Garrison commenced publicaiton of his famous newspaper, the Liberator, as a vehicle for promoting the cause. The movement met resistance, though, both from Southern slaveholders and Northern intellectuals, alike. “Proclaim Library Throughout All the Land” will feature manuscripts, photographs, and artifacts related to the abolitionist movement in Boston. MHS members and fellows will be able to get a sneak-peek at the exhibit on Thursday, 21 February, beginning at 6:00pm with remarks from the MHS’ Stephen T. Riley Librarian, Peter Drummey. Registration is required for members and fellows planning to attend. 

On Friday, 22 February, the exhibition will open to the general public, free of charge. To coincide with the public opening, at 2:00pm join Librarian, Peter Drummey, as he presents “‘I Will Be Heard:’ William Lloyd Garrison & the Abolitionis Movement in Boston, 1831-1865.” This exhibition spotlight will examine materials in the new exhibition that illustrate the life and career of Garrison, a central figure in the antislavery movement and editor of the Liberator.

The new exhibition will be on view Monday-Saturday, 10:00am-4:00pm, until 24 May 2013. Remember, also, that there are currently two other smaller exhibitions highlighting Abraham Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation, signed into law 150 years ago this year. Both of these complementary exhibits will also be on view through 24 May.

And last but not least, join us on Saturday at 10:00am for the History and Collections of the MHS. This free, 90-minute guided tour will expose visitors to the history of the MHS, the collections contained within, and some of the art and architecture of 1154 Boylston St. No RSVP required for individuals or small groups. However, parties of 8 or more should contact the MHS prior to attending the tour. For more information please contact Curator of Art Anne Bentley at 617-646-0508 or abentley@masshist.org.

We look forward to seeing you here for any or all of our great public programming!

By Dan Hinchen

After the big storm this weekend, stop by the MHS this week to shake off the snow and enjoy some great public programs!

Kicking the week off, on Monday, 11 February 2013, the Society will host “Lincoln & Liberty, too.” In this program Mr. William Martin, author and MHS Fellow, will discuss the causes that led to the Emancipation Proclamation and, eventually, the passage of the 13th Amendment. Using Lincoln’s two inaugural addresses as bookends, Mr. Martin examines the transformation of Lincoln from a sober Constitutional lawyer to a near-messianic figure. This even is free and open to the public at no cost. Registration is required. Please click here to RSVP or contact the Education Department at (617)646-0560 or education@masshist.org.

On Tuesday, 12 February 2013, join us at 5:15pm for one of our Environmental History Seminars. Ben Cronin, University of Michigan, presents “To Clear the Herring Brook: Fluvial Control, Common Rights, and Commercial Development in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 1660-1860.” Here, Mr. Cronin scrutinizes the towns of Plymouth County, especially Pembroke and Middleboro, to show how political, economic, and even military power flowed from effective control of waterways. Comment provided by William F. Hanna III, author of A History of Taunton, Massachusetts. Subscribe to receive advance copies of the seminar papers. This seminar is free and open to the public. RSVP required.

The week then quiets down a bit until Saturday, 16 February 2013, when we host yet another of our free building tours. Join us at 10:00am for The History and Collections of the MHS. This roughly 90-minute tour exposes visitors to all of the Society’s public rooms and touches on the art, collections, and history of the MHS. Tours are free and open to the public. No reservation required for individuals and small groups. Parties of 8 or more should contact the MHS prior to attending a tour. For more information, please contact Curator of Art, Anne Bentley, at (617)646-0508 or abentley@masshist.org.

Finally, if you plan to visit the MHS next week, be aware the Society will be closed on Monday, 18 February 2013, in observance of the President’s Day holiday and will resume normal operating hours on Tuesday, 19 February.

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.