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Stay engaged with the MHS this year!
“I have had my share in planting Laws and Institutions, according to the measure of my ability and opportunities—I would willingly have had more—My leisure is now imposed upon me by the will of higher powers, to which I cheerfully submit, and I plant trees for the benefit of the next age, and of which my own eyes will never behold a berry—To raise forest trees requires the concurrence of two Generations, and even of my lately planted nuts seeds and Stones, I may never taste the fruit—Sero arbores quae alteri seculo prosint.”
John Quincy Adams Seal

John Quincy Adams (JQA) was in retirement in 1830, having lost the presidential election in 1828 to Andrew Jackson. He took this time to focus on reading and planting trees on his property. In 1830, while he was reading Cicero’s Tusculan Disputations, JQA came across the phrase “Serit arbores quae alteri seculo prosint,” (He plants trees for the benefit of another century.) During this time, he also designed a seal with two oak leaves and an acorn, with the words Alteri Seculo,” (Another Century.) His grandson, Henry Adams, recorded that JQA began to seal his letters with this image and had a fob made for his watch, which he carried everywhere.

This seal now adorns every volume of The Adams Papers. JQA was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1831 where he served until his death in 1848, at age 81.

Member Week

Now is the time to become a Member of the MHS as we launch our first annual Member Week!

Join us 16 to 21 May for Member only exhibition hours for Our Favorite Things and a feature program with Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian, Annette Gordon-Reed, on 19 May, Writing On Juneteenth.

Members who visit the MHS during Member Week will be gifted a copy of Gordon-Reed’s book, On Juneteenth.

Not yet a member? Your MHS Fund donation of $250 or more is your gateway to membership. Donate today at www.masshist.org/support.

Underrepresented Voices of the American Revolution, July 14–16, 2022

In recent decades, scholars have unearthed and revived stories of a diverse cast of characters who lived through America’s political formation. This much-needed corrective has unraveled a traditional narrative of wealthy, white male revolutionaries rebelling against a white, male-dominated imperial government. The approach of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence offers an opportunity to highlight and share the latest scholarship on the underrepresented voices of the American Revolution, whether that be from the perspective of Native Americans, African Americans, women, loyalists, ethnic and religious minorities, children, or neutrals in a global war who put the question of representation at the Revolution’s core. This conference brings together scholars to explore broad themes associated with historic individuals and groups not traditionally taken into consideration when discussing the American Revolutionary Era.

May features a mix of virtual and hybrid events, with a choice of in-person or virtual attendance. Please be sure to register which way you will attend.
Honoring Daniel K. Richter: McNeil Center Alumni Discuss Their Research & Experiences

On Tuesday, 3 May, at 5:15 PM, William Huntting Howell, Boston University; Elizabeth N. Ellis, New York University; Chris Parsons, Boston University; Alicia DeMaio, Horace Mann School; Sari Altschuler, Boston University; and Joseph Rezek, Boston University, present Honoring Daniel K. Richter: McNeil Center Alumni Discuss Their Research & Experiences.

Award-winning scholar Daniel K. Richter is one of the most prolific historians working on Native American and Early American history. More than just serving as a premier academic as the Roy F. and Jeannette P. Nichols Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania, Prof. Richter has also been a dedicated mentor and teacher. Through his work as the Richard S. Dunn Director of the McNeil Center for Early American Studies, Richter has advised and inspired generations of young scholars and convened thought-provoking conferences that have sparked new avenues of research. In this last program of the seminar season, six former students discuss their latest research and reflect on how Prof. Richter influenced their work and understanding of history.

This is a hybrid event. In-person attendees are invited to join us for a pre-program reception at 4:30pm. 

Filming First Ladies

On Wednesday, 4 May, at 6:00 PM, Aaron Cooley, Showtime, Susan Swain, Co-President, CSPAN, and Mark Farkas, Executive Producer, CSPAN, present Filming First Ladies, in conversation with Catherine Allgor.

Hear from creators at CSPAN and SHOWTIME as they discuss the process of writing and producing historic documentaries and dramas. Aaron Cooley will speak about his experience creating The First Lady, how the concept for the show came to be and why SHOWTIME focused on the first ladies who were chosen. It will also touch on how the series strove to share new information to viewers while discussing some of the most famous women in America. Mark Farkas will reflect on CSPAN’s First Ladies: Influence and Image series and its portrayal of first ladies Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Ford, and Michelle Obama and their lives and evolution over their tenures at the White House. The conversation will be moderated by MHS president Catherine Allgor, a scholar of the early republic and noted expert on the life and times of Dolley Madison.

This is a virtual event.

Peter J. Gomes Memorial Book Prize Ceremony

On Thursday, 5 May, at 5:30 PM, Abram Van Engen, Washington University-St. Louis, and Adrian Weimer, Providence College, present Peter J. Gomes Memorial Book Prize Ceremony.

Join us for a special evening in which Professor of English Abram Van Engen will receive the 2021 Gomes Prize for City on a Hill: A History of American Exceptionalism. Van Engen will join historian Adrian Weimer to discuss the stories often told about the founding of America, and how the Pilgrims and Puritans have been remembered, misremembered, denigrated, and celebrated across four centuries of American history.

This is a hybrid event. In-person attendees are invited to join for a special reception taking place before the program, 4:45 PM–5:30 PM.

Boston at 200: Where We Were, Where We Are & Where We Are Going

On Monday, 9 May, at 6:00 PM, Robert Allison, Suffolk University; Karilyn Crockett, City of Boston; Kerri Greenidge, Tufts University; Peter Drummey, MHS; and Luc Schuster, Boston Indicators, present Boston at 200: Where We Were, Where We Are & Where We Are Going, with remarks by Councilor Ed Flynn.

It’s been 200 years since Boston was incorporated in 1822. Historians Robert Allison and Peter Drummey will set the scene with the people, politics, and geography of the small city, recovering from the War of 1812, but on the edge of industrialization, large scale immigration, and geographic expansion. Next Historian Kerri Greenidge will discuss Boston life in 1922—a city with familiar geography and at the zenith of its industrial growth; with substantial immigration, both internationally and from within the United States, but very much part of a country that was witnessing a wave of horrendous violence and racial discrimination. Finally Luc Schuster and Karilyn Crockett will reflect on Boston today and look to the future. With its first elected female mayor of color, the city is one of the most economically dynamic places in America with more universities and research hospitals than other US cities. Boston has one of the most educated and innovative populations in the world, but still struggles with severe inequalities. What will Boston look like moving forward? How will the city face rising costs pushing out innovators and artists? What will climate change’s effects be on this coastal city? In 2122, will Boston remain the innovation hub of America?

This is a hybrid event. The in-person reception starts at 5:30 and the program will began at 6:00. 


The MHS offers both virtual and hybrid programs. For hybrid events, please be sure to register which way you will attend. Visit www.masshist.org/events for updates, cancellations, and to register.

On Thursday, 19 May, at 6:00 PM, Annette Gordon-Reed presents, Writing On Juneteenth, in conversation with Catherine Allgor. This is a Member Week event. Members attend for free and will receive a copy of On Juneteenth.

On Tuesday, 24 May, at 6:00 PM, Ty Burr, Ty Burr’s Watchlist, presents Film Club: The Friends of Eddie Coyle. This is a virtual event.

On Thursday, 26 May, at 6:00 PM, Paul Lee, Retired Partner, Goodwin Procter LLP; Phil Tajitsu Nash, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund; Representative Tram Nguyen; and moderated by the Honorable Catherine Ham, Associate Justice, Massachusetts Superior Court, present Confronting Racial Injustice: Rising Asian American Voices, with pre-recorded remarks by Mayor Michelle Wu. This is a virtual event.
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.

Tuesday from 10:00 AM to 7:45 PM
Saturday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Please note that the last admission for exhibition visitors will be 45 minutes prior to closing.

An advanced appointment is strongly encouraged for all researchers. Please visit our Appointment Request Form to select your preferred visit dates.

Please check our calendar for hours and closings due to holidays and other events.
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