This Week @ MHS

On Tuesday, 24 February, joing us at 5:15PM for an Immigration and Urban History Seminar. "'I Had Ample Opportunity to Notice the City as It then Was': Social and Economic Geographies in New York City, 1783-1830," is presented by Carl Smith of Providence College. Joshua Greenberg of Bridgewater State College provides comment. This event is free and open to the public, RSVP required. Subscribe to receive advance copies of the seminar papers.

On Thursday, 26 February, MHS Fellows and Members are invited to a special preview of and reception for "God Save the People! From the Stamp Act to Bunker Hill." This exhibition tells the story of the coming of the American Revolution in Boston, using letters and diaries, political cartoons, newspapers, maps, artifacts, and portraits. The reception begins at 6:00PM. Registration required at no cost.

The exhibition opens to the public on Friday, 27 February, and is on view Monday-Saturday, 10:00AM-4:00PM, until 4 September 2015. 

With the opening of the new exhibition we will also return to hosting our free Saturday tours! Come by on Saturday, 28 February for the History and Collections of the MHS, a 90-minute docent-led walk throught the public spaces at the Society's home on Boylston St. The tours are open to the public free of charge. No reservation required for individual or small groups. If you would like to bring a larger party (8 or more), please contact Curator of Art Anne Bentley at 617-646-0508 or abentley@masshist.org.

This Week @ MHS

As we endure yet another snowstorm here in Boston, we are entering a shortened week again, this time thanks to a holiday. Please note that the Society is closed on Monday, 16 February, in observance of President's Day. If you plan to come in for any of our upcoming events, please check our website or call the Society before your visit to ensure that the event is proceeding as scheduled. 

First up this week on Tuesday, 17 February, is a midday author talk featuring Thomas de Waal, Senior Associate - Carnegie Endowmentfor International Peace. Join us at 12:00PM for his talk entitled "The Great Catastrophe: Armenians and Turks Come to Terms with Genocide, Memory, and Identity." This talk is free and open to the public. 

The event scheduled for Wednesday, 18 February, "Comic Books in the History Classroom," is POSTPONED. Contact the education department at education@masshist.org or 617-646-0557. To inquire about rescheduling. 

And on Thursday, 19 February, come in for the third program in the Adams Family Series. This time, independent author Rosanna Wan presents "The Culinary Lives of John and Abigail Adams: A Cookbook." Registration is required for this event at a cost of $10 (no charge for MHS Fellows and Members). Please call 617-646-0578 to register, or click here. There is a reception that begins at 5:30PM and the talk begins at 6:00PM. 

This Week @ MHS

Assuming that we are not affected by another snow storm, there are a few events happening mid-week here at the Society. 

Kicking things off on Tuesday, 10 February, is an Environmental History Seminar. Beginning at 5:15PM, Katherine Johnston of Columbia University presents "An Enervating Environment: Altered Bodies in the Lowcountry and British West Indies," an examination of the interactions between humans and the environment in the eighteenth century. Conevery Bolton Valencius of the University of Massachusetts - Boston provides comment. This event is free and open to the public, though RSVP is required. Subscribe to receive advance copies of the seminar papers.

On Wednesday, 11 February, join us at 6:00PM for an author talk with Maureen Meister as she presents "Arts and Crafts Architecture: History and Heritage in New England." Registration is required for this event with a fee of $10 (no charge for MHS Fellows and Members). Click here to register. A pre-talk reception begins at 5:30PM.

And on Thursday, 12 February, we are doubling-up on the events, though both are off-site. First, beginning at 5:30PM is a History of Women and Gender Seminar. "Her Hat Will Not Down: Sumptuary Laws and Consumer Rights in 1890s Chicago" is presented by Emily A. Remus of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, with Ardis Cameron of the University of Southern Maine providing comment. Please note that this event is taking place at the Schlesinger Library at Harvard University. The seminar is free and open to the public, RSVP required.

Also on Thursday, there is a special event that is open only to MHS Fund Giving Circle Members. "Everday Life in America: Behind Closed Doors" begins at 6:00PM with a reception, followed by a gallery tour led by Curator David Wood. Please note that this event is taking place at the Concord Museum in Concord, Mass. Space is limited. To reserve, please call 617-646-0543.

This Week @ MHS

January is in the bag and as February arrives we have a lot on the calendar here at the Society. Now that we have officially had our first blizzard of the year, be sure to check for building closures and event cancelations during bad weather before visiting the MHS.

Starting things off this month on Tuesday, 3 February, is a panel discussion titled "Slavery in Early Massachusetts." This talk features Barbara A. Mathews of Historic Deerfield and Gloria McCahon Whiting of Harvard University and focuses on papers written by each of them. Maria A. Bollettino of Framingham State University provides comment. The talk begins at 5:15PM and is free and open to the public. RSVP is required for this event. Subscribe to receive advance copies of the seminar papers. 

On Wednesday, 4 February, we have a Brown Bag lunch talk given by one of our current MHS-NEH Long-term Research Fellows, Erin Kappeler. Swing by at noon with a lunch as she discusses her research project, "Everyday Laureates: Community Poetry in New England, 1865-1900." This talk is free and open to the public. 

Up next on the list is the second program in the Adams Series. In this installment, Charles Edel of the U.S. Naval War College presents "Nation Builder: John Quincy Adams and the Grand Strategy of the Republic." Registration is required for this event at a cost of $10 (no charge for Fellows and Members). Pre-talk reception begins at 5:30PM on Thursday, 5 February, with the talk beginning at 6:00PM. Please call 617-646-0578 to register or click here.

Finally, on Saturday, 7 February, there is an afternoon public program brought to you by the MHS and the Partnership of the Historic Bostons. Starting at 1:00PM, "Begin at the Beginning: Boston's Founding Documents" will look at the documents at the heart of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. This is the first meeting in a new series of discussions and is chaired by Partnership President Rose A. Doherty. This event is free to the public on a first come, first served basis, and is limited to 15 people. Please RSVP. Links to the documents are available at the registration site. (Registration for this discussion group is coordinated by the Partnership of the Historic Bostons).