Stay engaged with the MHS this year!

Featured Item

“About 8 o'clock in the morning, being in Edes and Gills office, 3 Men belonging to the ships of war appear'd round the office and having been previously inform'd of their pressing every person into the Service who happened to fall in their way; I ran out of a back door which conducted into the lane that led to my father's house...the blood hounds were immediately inform'd of my retreat and Speedily follow'd me...almost instantaneously Surrounded by Sailors and 3 officers. I Soon was made a prisoner, and had the misfortune to find myself in the hands of the most unfeeling and worthless Set of men, one of whom upon first discovering me cried out “I have found the damned rebel.”” – Peter Edes Diary, 19 June 1775

Visit our website

Featured Item from the MHS Collection

Peter Edes Diary, June–October, 1775 In this diary, Boston resident Peter Edes records entries about his capture and three-and-a-half month imprisonment by the British during the occupation of Boston. In entries dating from 19 June 1775 to 3 October 1775, Edes, an apprentice printer and son of Benjamin Edes, writes about the difficulty of getting information about his case, describes the Boston Jail, and mentions other prisoners. The last page of the diary is a list of 30 prisoners taken from the Battle of Bunker Hill and in his entry of 21 September 1775, Edes mentions that only 11 of them are still living. View the diary up close and read the transcription.

Making History Gala Available Later This Month We are looking forward to sharing the video recording of the 2022 Making History Gala later in August. MHS Members will receive priority access and be able to view the recording free of charge. If you are not already, become a Member today. Non-Members will receive access to the video two weeks after Members for a $25 fee.

Upcoming Events Please be sure to register which way you will attend. Visit www.masshist.org/events for more information and to register.

The Shores of Bohemia On Wednesday, 3 August, at 6:00 PM, John Taylor Williams presents The Shores of Bohemia. This is a hybrid event. Register to attend in person. Register to attend online.

September Events On Wednesday, 7 September, at 6:00 PM, Michael Meltsner presents Mosaic: Who Paid for the Bullet? This is a hybrid event. On Thursday, 8 September, at 6:00 PM, Johnathan Williams, Boston University, presents MHS Film Club: A Civil Action. This is an online event. On Monday, 12 September, at 6:00 PM, Scott Bane, John A. Harford Foundation, presents A Union Like Ours: The Love Story of F. O. Matthiessen and Russell Cheney. This is a hybrid event. On Friday, 16 September, at 6:00 PM, and Saturday, 17 September, 9:00 AM–5:30 PM, New England Quarterly presents American Political Cultures Forum. This is an in-person conference. On Tuesday, 20 September, at 6:00 PM, Sam Redman, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, presents Prophets and Ghosts: The Story of Salvage Anthropology. This is a hybrid event. On Thursday, 22 September, at 6:00 PM, Robert Buderi presents Where Futures Converge: Kendall Square and the Making of a Global Innovation Hub. This is a hybrid event. On Wednesday, 28 September, at 6:00 PM, Eric Jay Dolin presents Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution. This is a hybrid event. On Thursday, 29 September, at 5:00 PM, Eric Herschthal, University of Utah, presents Carbon Boom: Barbados and the Plantationocene. This is a hybrid 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.

Exhibition and Library Hours   Now on display: Part Two of Our Favorite Things   Monday, and Wednesday through Friday, from 10:00 AM to 4:45 PM Tuesday from 10:00 AM to 7:45 PM   Please note that the last admission for exhibition visitors will be 45 minutes prior to closing.   An advance 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, building closings, and other events.

Set up an appointment via Zoom or live chat with a member of our reference staff.  Learn more at https://www.masshist.org/library.

Give to the MHS Fund and become a Member! Learn more at www.masshist.org/mhsfund.

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Help us improve your experience with the MHS. Adjust your e-mail preferences by updating your profile below, and we will adjust our e-mails to you accordingly.