Stay engaged with the MHS this year! |
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“And from a judgement which I respected, and qualities, which I found upon acquaintance so worthy to be cultivated and cherished, my regard was matured into a friendship and intimacy which I fondly hoped, would end, but with our Lives.
A difference in opinion upon the great political questions, which have divided, and still agitate the Nation, might have subsided between us, without impairing our friendship. If in a History to be transmitted to posterity you had not misrepresented and mis-construed not merely facts, but principles, views, and designs, all together foreign to the Character you have delineated, and whom from a long and intimate acquaintance and a frequent correspondence with him, I should have supposed it, impossible you could have this mistaken.”
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Mercy Otis Warren Brooch
In the years before the Revolutionary War began, John and Abigail Adams became close friends with James and Mercy Otis Warren. All were deeply committed to the patriot cause, serving with their individual talents. As John became, first, a domestic statesman and, later, a diplomat for the new republic, Mercy turned her literary skills to composing the first history of the unprecedented events taking place.
In 1805, however, when Mercy published her three-volume history of the Revolution, she presented an unflattering picture of John, who had finished his term as president of the country in 1801. The ensuing dialog between the former friends resulted in a rift that set John and Abigail bitterly apart from Mercy (James died in 1808). The estrangement lasted until 1812, when a mutual acquaintance was able to effect a rapprochment.
This brooch contains the hair of Mercy Otis Warren and is surrounded by 35 pearls and an inner band of gold coil. Abigail Adams had this brooch made to celebrate the renewal of her friendship with Mercy Otis Warren in 1812. It is in the style of hair mementos used for remembering the dead at the time, although this is not meant for mourning.
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What do a letter about a “midnight ride” written circa 1798, a once lost sword from the Civil War, relics of an adventurous young American woman, a woman who sued for her freedom, and 20th-century political campaign objects have in common? They are all featured in the first 5 episodes of The Object of History. Our new interview-style podcast takes listeners on a behind-the-scenes tour of items held in the MHS collections.
Listen to the first 5 episodes on our website or wherever you get your podcasts. Beginning in January 2022, the MHS will release one new episode per month.
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Join us on Wednesday, 13 October, for #AskAnArchivist Day, an annual event during which archivists take to Twitter to answer all kinds of questions—from the silly to the practical—and raise awareness of the importance of archives. MHS archivists will answer inquiries through the MHS Twitter account. You can submit questions beforehand to communications@masshist.org or post them on Twitter on 13 October using the #AskAnArchivist hashtag.
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MHS’s online programs are held on the video conference platform Zoom. Registrants will receive an e-mail with a link to join the program.
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An Introduction to Disability History
On Thursday, 7 October, at 5:30 PM, Beth Linker, University of Pennsylvania; Kim E. Nielson, University of Toledo; and Rabia Belt, Stanford Law School, present An Introduction to Disability History, moderated by Naomi Rogers, Yale School of Medicine.
This conversation will aim to orient us in the field of disability history and serve to lay the groundwork for subsequent conversations in this series. How is disability used as an analytical tool in historical inquiry? Why is it important to center disability as a defining social category, like race, class, gender, and sexuality? How have definitions of disability varied through history, and what have been the social and cultural impacts of this shifting understanding? This conversation will present a brief history of the field and examine the foundational and emerging scholarship through a moderated, roundtable discussion with our panelists.
Throughout October, we will host a series of programs, seminars, and workshops
exploring the field of disability history. Through panel conversations, presentations, and discussions, we will introduce the field of disability history, investigate some major research areas in the field, and provide a forum to examine new, emerging scholarship. Learn more at www.masshist.org/disability.
Note on accessibility: All virtual programs in this series will be in English and will have closed captioning enabled through Zoom. Some of the programs will be recorded and will be available on YouTube and our website at a later time. If you have questions, please contact programs@masshist.org.
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Opening Our Doors: Walking Tour of the Fenway Cultural District
On Saturday, 9 October, at 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM, the MHS presents a Walking Tour of the Fenway Neighborhood as part of Opening Our Doors: A Free Arts & Culture Festival in the Fenway Cultural District.
The MHS will join its neighboring cultural institutions for a day of free history, art, music, and cultural happenings in the Fenway neighborhood. With over 20 different museums, venues, colleges, and organizations participating, there will be something for everyone. Join us for a 90-minute walking tour of the Fenway neighborhood at 11:00 AM. Please note that the 2:00 PM tour is sold out. Participants should meet at the front entrance of the MHS at 1154 Boylston Street, Boston 02215.
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On Tuesday, 12 October, at 5:15 PM, Kelsey Henry, Yale University, presents Developmental Disorder, Racial Dissolution: Racial Typographies of Developmental Normalcy in Early Child Medicine, 1830 – 1870, with comment by Evelynn Hammonds, Harvard University, a History of Women, Gender and Sexuality Seminar.
On Wednesday, 13 October, at 5:30 PM, Deirdre Cooper Owens, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Jaipreet Virdi, University of Delaware; Michael Rembis, University at Buffalo, present Disability and the History of Medicine.
On Saturday, 16 October, at 1:00 PM, John Gianvito, Emerson College; Caroly Forché, Georgetown University, present Her Socialist Smile: a Film Screening, moderated by Megan Marshall, a Biography Seminar.
On Monday, 18 October, at 5:30 PM, Sari Altschuler, Northeastern University; Nicole Belolan, Rutgers University; Laurel Daen, University of Notre Dame, present Disability in Early America, moderated by Kanisorn Wongsrichanalai, MHS.
On Thursday, 28 October, at 5:15 PM, Vivian Delchamps, University of California, Los Angeles, presents "The Virus of Slavery and Injustice": Analogy and Disabled Life in African American Writings, 1856 – 1892, with comment by Sari Altschuler, Northeastern University, a Malgeri Modern American Society and Culture Seminar.
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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.
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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.
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