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What's New?
In This Edition

  • Brief History of the Hooper-Lee-Nichols House and Enslaved People
  • COMING SOON! 2020 Fall Conversation: Who Is Essential Cambridge?
  • Good Riddance 2020
We may be in the middle of a pandemic, but that hasn't stopped us from bringing history to life. We've been busy working on several initiatives that tackle contemporary issues through dialogue and perspective-taking. We hope you'll join the conversation.
Brief History of the Hooper Lee Nichols House and Enslaved People
In July 2019, the Cambridge Historical Society formed a task force to examine the Society’s institutional history and make recommendations about how to confront the organization’s white privilege going forward.

One of the first steps was to research the history of the Hooper-Lee-Nichols House (HLN) (currently the Society’s headquarters) and its owners. Did the owners of the HLN hold ownership over enslaved people? Did enslaved people live at the HLN? Through primary and secondary research, Councilor Heli Meltsner and Archivist Maggie Hoffman identified key takeaways.
COMING SOON!
2020 Fall Conversation:
Who Is Essential Cambridge?
Examining the past to help shape our future is what we do at Cambridge Historical Society. Our Fall Conversation is typically a time when we gather experts to discuss our theme in the context of the past year's events. However, COVID-19 changed everything, including our Fall Conversation. It still serves as our year in review, but now we're delivering it in a new format. This four-part blog series delves into important turning points in history, how they shaped us, and how those lessons might help us craft a response to the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and systematic racism.

This in-depth four-part series is available to the public, free of charge, found on the Cambridge Historical Society's Did You Know? blog. New posts will be released each Monday throughout the month of December, starting November 30.

  • Essential Labor in Wartime (November 30)
  • Public Education (December 7)
  • Nursing (December 14)
  • The Dual Pandemics of COVID-19 and Systemic Racism (December 21)
Good Riddance 2020
This has been tough year for literally the entire world. This is your chance to commemorate your own journey, let it go, and move into 2021 with a fresh perspective.

We're leaving 2020 behind in a safe and socially distanced way. Drop by Cambridge Historical Society to write down the things you wish to leave behind from 2020. Your thoughts will be run through a shredder and recycled. Then write down your hopes, dreams, and wishes on a piece of seeded paper - all that you have learned and gained from 2020 that you want to take with you into 2021. Take home your creation and plant it. Then tag us on social media with photos of your seedlings as they grow using #seedlingsofhope 

This event is FREE and open to the public [weather date Dec 13, 2-4 pm]

What Song Sums Up 2020 For You?
We're working on a playlist for our Good Riddance 2020 event. Share your suggestions on social media to with #goodriddance2020 to help us build a soundtrack of 2020. There's nothing like a good mixtape to help process your emotions!
Thank you to our Corporate Sponsors!
The Cambridge Historical Society | Hooper-Lee-Nichols House 
159 Brattle Street | Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138