Purchase your tickets to the Making History Gala today!
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“What is Wisdom? Is it, to write dramatic Poetry, like Milton or Shakespear? Is it to write on Astronomy and Physicks like Newton, or is it to know the human mind like Lock? Does it consist in Genius and Learning?
No Genius and Learning have been oftener mad than wise. It is not to Act or think beyond man kind.”
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A Daguerreotype of Captain Jonathan Walker's Branded Hand
In January 1839, painter Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre lectured at the French Academy of Sciences in Paris on his new discovery: a technique for recording a camera image on a silver-plated sheet of copper. Daguerre called his invention the “daguerreotype,” and scientists and artists alike were astonished by the sharp, clear photographic images.
This daguerreotype, taken in 1845, shows the hand of Captain Jonathan W. Walker, an ardent abolitionist. His hand was branded with the letters “S.S.” on the base of his thumb for “slave stealer,” after he was convicted for attempting to assist seven enslaved people to freedom by sailing them from Florida to the West Indies in 1844. You may notice that the “S.S.” is backwards. That is because daguerreotypes are never printed, they stay on the the metal sheet and are therefore mirror images of what we see with our eyes.
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MHS President Appointed to Advisory Council for the Smithsonian's American Women's History Museum
Congratulations to MHS President Catherine Allgor on being named to the Smithsonian’s American Women’s History Museum advisory council! She joins a group of citizens and government appointees who will advise the Smithsonian board of Regents on the location, planning, design and construction of the museum; help with private fundraising; and provide for the maintenance of the collections.
“The founding council members come from a wide range of backgrounds and industries, but they each possess the same passion for gender equity and uplifting women’s voices,” said Lisa Sasaki, the interim director of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum. “They have broken through barriers and shattered expectations, making them uniquely qualified to lead a new museum that aims to do the same.”
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MHS Library Set to Reopen on 7 September
Beginning 10:00 AM on 7 September 2021, the MHS library will reopen to the public for onsite research visits. Please note that research will be by appointment only and requests must be made by 2:00 PM on Thursday of the previous week. In our ongoing efforts to protect the health of staff and visitors amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, all researchers must provide proof that they have received an FDA approved COVID-19 vaccination(s) prior to their visit. As well, all visitors must wear a well-fitted mask covering the nose and mouth. Appointments can be made on our Appointment Request Form.
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Please check the website frequently. If you register for an event, please check your e-mail for updates before attending the program.
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On Tuesday, 21 September, at 5:15 PM, Cornelia Dayton, University of Connecticut, and additional panelists to be announced, present African American Lives in Federalist New England: Scouring the Archives, A Pauline Maier Early American History Seminar.
On Monday, 27 September, at 5:30 PM, Debbie Weiss presents A Revolutionary Encounter in London, a historically-based play. There is a $10 per person fee (no charge for MHS Members and Fellows, EBT or ConnectorCare cardholders).
On Tuesday, 28 September, at 3:30 PM, the Research team at the MHS invites graduate students in history, American studies, and related fields to attend the Graduate Student Reception.
On Thursday, 30 September, at 5:30 PM, Charles R. Gallagher, S.J., Boston College, presents The Nazis of Copley Square: The Forgotten Story of the Christian Front. There is a $10 per person fee (no charge for MHS Members and Fellows, EBT or ConnectorCare cardholders).
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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.
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Share Your COVID-19 Experience(s) |
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.
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Our Members are the heart of the MHS community and an integral part of the MHS story. Become a Member to help make possible the Society’s mission to promote the study of American history. Receive benefits including invitations to enhanced Member-only events; free or discounted admission to special programs; and access to publications such as our calendar of events, newsletter, and Annual Report.
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