Letter from Alexander Hamilton to Theodore Sedgwick, 10 July 1804

Alexander Hamilton wrote this letter to Theodore Sedgwick just hours before meeting Aaron Burr on the dueling grounds in Weehawken, New Jersey. Hamilton never mentions his deadly assignation, nor suggests in any way that this could be his final letter. Instead, Hamilton briefly informs Sedgwick, a Massachusetts judge and fellow Federalist, of his distaste of his distaste for politics and his negative views of current talk regarding the secession of the New England states and democracy in general. Hamilton writes: "... our real Disease ... is Democracy, the poison of which by a subdivision will only be the more concentrated in each part, and consequently the more virulent." Read more about the letter .

In the past 30 years, more Oscar-winning films have been set in Boston than any other American city except New York and Los Angeles. Why? Though a small city, Boston plays a large role in the American consciousness. Many of the films set in Boston depict a white, working-class, Irish Catholic community that is often rocked by violence or crime. Yet, today, Boston has the third-highest cost of living in the US and is the epicenter of biotechnology and venture capital. So why is the city's gritty image so resonant nationally and what is left out? Hosted in partnership with The Brattle Theater and Emerson College, this series will explore the evolution of this film genre; examine films about Boston that offer a different image; and look at the future of film in Boston. The first program will take place on Thursday, 9 July.

Boston in Film: From Eddie Coyle to Manchester by the Sea

On Thursday, 9 July, at 5:30 PM , Ty Burr, Boston Globe , Robert Allison, Suffolk University, and others present Boston in Film: From Eddie Coyle to Manchester by the Sea . The 1973 film The Friends of Eddie Coyle was not a box office smash but it became a cult classic and was particularly popular among filmmakers and film critics. The movie may have been the first to depict Boston as a working-class and violent city but it certainly was not the last. With Academy Award-winning films including The Departed , Mystic River , Goodwill Hunting , and Manchester by the Sea , one might say there is a gritty Boston genre. Our discussion will explore what these films say about Boston and what the city represents nationally. This is the first in a series of three conversations in partnership with The Brattle Theater and Emerson College. Register for the online program .

On Wednesday, 15 July, at 5:30 PM , Martha Ackmann presents These Fevered Days: Ten Pivotal Moments in the Making of Emily Dickinson .

On Monday, 20 July, at 5:30 PM , Larry Tye presents Demagogue: The Life and Long Shadow of Senator Joe McCarthy.

On Thursday, 23 July, at 5:30 PM , Ned Hinkle, Jim Vrabel, Brattle Film Foundation, and more present Boston in Film: Beyond the Oscars. This is the second in a series of three conversations in partnership with The Brattle Theater and Emerson College.

V isit www.masshist.org/events for more information and to register.  To view a selection of past programs, go to  www.masshist.org/video  or visit our  YouTube channel .

How has your attitude—and that of the public at large—changed about wearing face masks since the COVID-19 pandemic began?

The MHS invites you to contribute your COVID-19 experience(s) to our collection. Record your experiences on a daily, weekly, or intermittent basis. You can contribute your thoughts and images online. Visit our COVID-19 web display to learn more and to share your thoughts. Or, you can keep a journal and donate it to the MHS. Contact collections@masshist.org for more information.  

 

Thank you to everyone who has shared so far. If you have not yet done so or would like to contribute again, please visit: www.masshist.org/projects/covid/index.php . You can also read what others have shared.