“What an excitement over U.S.A. affairs! I am being greeted as a “half ally” now, waiting for the declaration of war to become a “full one.” Things are getting very tense. The air is full of electricity or rather of activity: What? When? Where? Who knows?”
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Edith Cavell Memorial Medal
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This medal by French engraver Georges-Henri Prud’homme honors the English nurse Edith Cavell who was executed for treason by Germans during World War I.
Born in England in 1872, Cavell began her nursing studies at the age of 21 and in 1906 became the first directress of a Belgian nursing school. The school was converted into a hospital during WWI. On 5 August 1915, Cavell was arrested by German forces on charges of conspiracy. She admitted her guilt at trial, was sentenced to death, and executed.
A memorial service for Nurse Cavell was held in Boston and the “Edith Cavell Nurse from Massachusetts” position was created to send a professional nurse to serve with the British Expeditionary Forces for the duration of the war. Alice Fitzgerald, a nurse working in Wellesley, Mass., was selected. Excerpts from her letters home were published as The Edith Cavell Nurse from Massachusetts: A Record of One Year’s Personal Service with the British Expeditionary Force in France, Boulougne, the Somme 1916–1917.
See the medal up close here.
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Exhibition Opening—MassArt at 150: Tradition and Innovation
MassArt at 150 celebrates the sesquicentennial of the only publicly funded art and design college in the United States. This two-part exhibition honors the ten-year partnership between MassArt’s Illustration Department and the Handel + Haydn Society and recognizes 150 years of design by MassArt alumni. Visitors can view a retrospective of student and alumni work created in response to a masterwork performed by H+H and explore a selection of clothing, equipment, advertising, everyday household items, and innovations designed by MassArt alumni. The exhibition is curated by MassArt’s Archives Department and will be open 1 May through 15 September.
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Call for Papers
Empire and Its Discontent, 1763–1773: Proposals Due 1 May
2024 Conrad E. Wright Research Conference on Citizenship: Papers Due 15 June
A conference to explore the broad themes associated with citizenship and other variations of national belonging reflected in both the Citizenship and Immigration Acts of 1924 will take place at the MHS and Suffolk University in July 2024. The conference committee invites proposals for papers and/or panels that explore these themes. See the full call for papers here.
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Tuesday, 25 April | 5:00 PM
Matt Kautz, Eastern Michigan University, with comment by Robert W. Widell Jr., University of Rhode Island.
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Wednesday, 26 April | 6:00 PM
Rita Roberts, Scripps College.
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Friday, 28 April | 2:00 PM
Jenny Rose, Claremont Graduate University.
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Tuesday, 9 May, at 5:00 PM: Tell Her Story, with Tomiko Brown-Nagin, Radcliffe Institute, and Tiya Miles, Harvard University, with comment by Julie Dobrow, Tufts University.
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Registration and Events
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 latest video, Dinner with the President: Food, Politics & A History of Breaking Bread at the White House, with Alex Prud’homme. Enjoy more videos by subscribing to the MHS YouTube channel after you view the video.
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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 (the galleries and library open at 12:00 PM the third Tuesday of the month), and Saturday, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Please note that the last admission is 45 minutes prior to closing.
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An advance appointment is strongly encouraged for all researchers. Please visit our Appointment Request Form to select your preferred visit dates.
Set up an appointment via Zoom or live chat with a member of our reference staff.
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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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