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Stay engaged with the MHS this year.

There is very little beauty in the face of the Earth now, but the Vegetables will soon spring fresh and green, and young and sprightly Grass, and flowers, and Roses, will appear on the Ground, buds, blossoms, leaves on the Trees, and 100 species of Birds, flying in Air, alighting on the Ground and on Trees, herds of Cattle, Sheep, horses, grazing and lowing in the Pastures. Oh Nature! how bright and beautiful thou art. – Diary of John Adams, volume 1, 14 March 1759
Muff Belonging to Hannah Dawes Goldthwaite Newcomb (17691851), member of a Patriot family

Perfect for late winter's fluctuating temperatures, muffs were popular as hand warmers through the 19th century.

This muff has a silk exterior and silk lining, both champagne color, with an undetermined middle layer. The exterior has an embroidered design of an oval floral wreath with a posy of flowers and leaves on three stems, tied together with a blue bow. On the opposite side, the muff has three seams from end to end at irregular intervals, which might indicate this muff was fashioned from an earlier piece of clothing. The ends are finished with wide ruched additions, giving the impression of a ribbon finish.

See a larger image of the muff that Hannah Dawes Goldthwaite Newcomb wore.
Women of the Underground: Political Repression, Kinship Networks, & the Transatlantic Resistance to Restoration Politics

On Tuesday, 16 March, at 5:30 PM, Cynthia Van Zandt, University of New Hampshire, presents Women of the Underground: Political Repression, Kinship Networks, & the Transatlantic Resistance to Restoration Politics with comment by Adrian Weimer, Providence College.

Nonconformist resistance to the Stuart Restoration is often told as the history of ministers, regicides, and other men who actively preserved their loyalty to political and religious ideals of the 1640s and 1650s. However, many of the ongoing activities necessary to preserve the movement were carried out by women. This paper explores womens roles in the transatlantic kinship, religious, and veterans networks which enabled Nonconformists to sustain themselves in the face of defeat and repression.

The Pauline Maier Early American History Seminar invites you to join the conversation. Seminars bring together a diverse group of scholars and interested members of the public to workshop a pre-circulated paper. 

Visionary Circle Virtual Launch Event

On Wednesday, 17 March, at 12:00 PM, join us for our Visionary Circle Virtual Launch Event.

Please join us to celebrate the Founding Members of the MHS Visionary Circle planned giving program. We will hear about core planned gift options from representatives at Cornerstone Advisors and offer an opportunity for attendees to ask questions.

Any guest who declares their intent to make a planned gift will be recognized as a Founding Member and receive a special welcome gift.

Please contact VP of Development Maureen Nguyen with any questions at mnguyen@masshist.org or 617-549-6318.
 
Heroic Souls: Records of Trial from Thomas Shepards Church in Cambridge, 16381649

On Thursday, 18 March, at 5:30 PM, Lori Rogers-Stokes presents Heroic Souls: Records of Trial from Thomas Shepards Church in Cambridge, 16381649.

The most exciting find in the records of puritan minister Thomas Shepard (Cambridge, 16381649) is the voices of the women who came to tell him their stories of spiritual seeking. Serving women, elderly widows, young wives and mothers, daughters of powerful men—all told stories of heroic seeking that feature their independent labor in reading, praying, listening, asking questions, and making meaning in a world narrowed down to just the seeker and her God. Heroic Souls, by Lori Rogers-Stokes, brings you these womens stories—their lives and passions, and the super-charged energy for change, discovery, and meaning that they embrace.
 
On Wednesday, 24 March, at 5:30 PM, Robert Krim presents From Revolution to Pandemic: What Makes Boston One of the World’s Top Innovation Centers? in conversation with Scott Kirsner.

On Thursday, 25 March, at 5:15 PM, Neilesh Bose, University of Victoria, and Helen R. Deese, Caroline Healey Dall Editor, MHS, present Marriage of Minds or Boston Divorce? The Lives & Good Works of Caroline Healey Dall & Rev. Charles Henry Appleton Dall on Two Continents with moderator Megan Marshall, Emerson College.

On Tuesday, 30 March, at 5:15 PM, Samuel Backer, Johns Hopkins University, presents The Parlor & the Public: Tin Pan Alley & the Birth of Manhattan Mass Culture with comment by Jeffrey Melnick, University of Massachusetts Boston

Visit www.masshist.org/events for more information and to register for programs.
Interested in Viewing Past Programs?
If you missed a program or would like to revisit the material presented, please visit www.masshist.org/video or our YouTube channel. A selection of past programs is just a click away.
Share Your COVID-19 Experience(s)

The MHS invites you to contribute your COVID-19 experience(s) to our collection. Record your experiences on a daily, weekly, or intermittent basis. You can contribute your thoughts and images online. Visit our COVID-19 web display to learn more and to share your thoughts. Or you can keep a journal and donate it to the MHS. Contact collections@masshist.org for more information.  
 
Thank you to everyone who has shared so far. If you have not yet done so or would like to contribute again, please visit www.masshist.org/projects/covid/index.php. You can also read what others have shared.
JOIN THE MHS VISIONARY CIRCLE!
Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are core giving opportunities?
A: Bequests, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts or unitrusts, and life insurance policies.

Q: How can I support the MHS with a planned gift?
A: The MHS welcomes many types of planned gifts. We can help you decide which is best for you based on your goals. 

Q: How can I get started?
A: Contact Maureen Nguyen at mnguyen@masshist.org or 617-549-6318.
Next Steps

Register
for our Visionary Circle virtual launch on 17 March at 12:00 PM at  www.masshist.org/calendar.

Hear more
from our planned giving experts at Cornerstone Advisors and ask questions.

Declare your intent
to make a planned gift before or after the event to be recognized as a Founding Member of the Visionary Circle and receive a special gift.

Our Members are the heart of the MHS community and an integral part of the MHS story. Become a Member to help make possible the Society’s mission to promote the study of American history. Receive benefits including invitations to enhanced Member-only events; free or discounted admission to special programs; and access to publications such as our calendar of events, newsletter, and Annual Report.
Learn more at www.masshist.org/members.