This Week at the MHS

Hair in the Archive

Today, people may keep mementos, such as portraits or jewelry, to remind them of a deceased friend, relative, or celebrity, but early Americans took this a step further by holding on to a physical remembrance of loved ones or notable people of the day: their hair. Whether kept as memorials to the departed or as symbols of affection, jewelry and artwork made from human hair were popular mementos from the colonial era until the beginning of the 20th century.

This casket contains locks of hair from George Washington, James and Dolley Madison, and John Quincy Adams.

View the casket of hair up close here.

Listen to The Object of History episode, The Casket of Hair about this object.

MHS News

Winner Announced for the Peter J. Gomes Memorial Book Prize

We are pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2023 Peter J. Gomes Memorial Book Prize is Andrew M. Wehrman for his book The Contagion of Liberty: The Politics of Smallpox in the American Revolution, published in 2022 by Johns Hopkins University Press. The Gomes Prize is given to the best nonfiction work on the history of Massachusetts published during the preceding year. Wehrman will receive the award at an event in 2024. Read more.

Come Explore “The Dye is cast” at the MHS

On 17 December 1773, John Adams wrote to James Warren: “The Dye is cast: The People have passed the River and cutt away the Bridge: last Night Three Cargoes of Tea, were emptied into the Harbour.” To commemorate the 250th anniversary of this event, the MHS has produced an exhibition that delves into this pivotal event through the perspectives of six Bostonians. “The Dye is cast”: Interests & Ideals That Motivated the Boston Tea Party is open at the MHS through 29 February 2024.

On 4 October, more than 120 MHS Members, Honorary Fellows, and guests celebrated the opening of the exhibition. Interested in attending exhibition openings and other Member-only events at the MHS? Become a Member here.

Upcoming Events

Monday, 30 October | 6:00 PM

Bringing Phillis to Life

Ade Solanke, David Waldstreicher, CUNY, and Tara Bynum, University of Iowa.

Thursday, 2 November | 5:00 PM

A Northern Proslavery Propagandist Confronts Secession: John Van Evrie’s Crisis of 1861

Michael E. Wood, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with comment by Donald Yacovone, Harvard University.

Saturday, 4 November | 9:00 AM

Teacher Workshop: Spilling the Tea: Causes & Consequences of the Boston Tea Party

Monday, 6 November, 6:00 PM: Democracy in Darkness: Secrecy & Transparency in the Age of Revolutions with Katlyn Carter, University of Notre Dame.

Wednesday, 8 November, 6:00 PM: Gay Community News at 50: Content, Controversy & Coverage with Gayle Rubin, moderated by Amy Hoffman. Co-sponsored with The History Project.

Thursday, 9 November, 5:00 PM: Linked Data Models for Digital Scholarly Editions of Historical Accounting Records with Kathryn Tomasek, Wheaton College, with comment by Julia Flanders, Northeastern University.

Monday, 13 November, 6:00 PM: Wars Civil & Great: The American Experience in the Civil War & World War I with Kanisornn Wongsrichanalai, MHS; David Silbey, Cornell University; Dr. Brian Allen Drake, University of Georgia; and Kathleen Logothetis Thompson.

Tuesday, 14 November, 5:00 PM: “Come by Water & Not by Land”: Water Sovereignty & Rival Ecologies in Mid-Atlantic Iron Country 1608–1783 with Sophie Hess, University of Maryland, with comment by Christopher L. Pastore, University at Albany, State University of New York.

Thursday, 16 November, 5:00 PM: Across Barbed Wire & Racial Lines: Interracial Friendship & Girlhood During World War II with Sonia C. Gomez, Santa Clara University, with comment by Yuichiro Onishi, University of Minnesota.

See full calendar.

Looking for More?

Registration and Events

Visit www.masshist.org/events for more information and to register.

Interested in Past Programs?

If you missed a program or would like to revisit the material presented, please visit www.masshist.org/video.

Click below to view the video, Gay Community News at 50: Defining GCN, with Loie Hayes, Gordon Gottlieb, and Russ Lopez, moderated by Richard burns, and co-sponsored with The History Project. Enjoy more videos by subscribing to the MHS YouTube channel after you view the video.

Exhibition and Library Hours

Now Open! “The Dye is cast”: Interests & Ideals That Motivated the Boston Tea Party. The exhibition is open through 29 February 2024. Learn more about the exhibition and explore items from our collection related to the Tea Party.

Our galleries and library are open Monday and Wednesday through Friday, from 10:00 AM to 4:45 PM, Tuesday from 10:00 AM to 7:45 PM, and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM (the galleries and library open at 12:00 PM the second Tuesday of the month). Please note that the last admission is 45 minutes prior to closing.

Please check our hours and admissions for hours, building closings, and other events.

An advance appointment is strongly encouraged. Please log in to your Portal1791 account to select your preferred visit dates.

Set up an appointment via Zoom or live chat with a member of our reference staff.

Learn more at www.masshist.org/library.

The MHS Fund and Membership

Our Members make it possible for us to offer an array of complimentary services including admission to our exhibition galleries and library, online access to our collections and digital editions, and onsite and remote reference services for all. Membership begins with a fully tax-deductible contribution of $250 or more to the MHS Fund. All Members enjoy a full year of social, cultural, and educational experiences, including invitations to our annual Holiday Party, FREE program registration, and Member Week perks. Learn more and join today!

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