Join us for the Friends of Minute Man Winter Lecture Series!

Sunday, February 25, 2024

2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Concord Free Public Library

Free and open to the public

Learn more about the important role of alcohol in the culture and politics of Colonial America in this free lecture with Dr. Brook Barbier, author of King Hancock: The Radical Influence of a Moderate Founding Father (2023). When John Hancock needed to win people over, he didn’t talk about resisting taxes or policy improvements; instead, he served alcohol. He offered rum punch and wine at his home and paid for lavish meals in taverns to bring people together. Guests included lower-class men, French officers, and Black women and men. By throwing parties, Hancock gained social and political power among myriad groups, repeatedly paying dividends.

Brooke Barbier is a public historian who received her Ph.D. in American history from Boston College. Barbier owns a popular tour company in Boston, Ye Olde Tavern Tours, that takes guests to revolutionary sites and inside historic taverns to drink beer. Attendees will receive 10% off on 2024 Ye Olde Tavern Tours and a Friends of Minute Man coaster. We hope to see you there!

Registration is not required for this free, in-person event. For more information, click on the button below.

Written by Lissa J. Herzing, Casey House Archaeological Collection Project Curator

Minute Man National Historical Park is pleased to announce a project to rehouse and reanalyze archaeological artifacts from the Casey House Archaeological Collection. The project aims to expand the park’s interpretation of the experiences of enslaved and free people of African descent in Concord.  

The park will investigate the story of a man named Case, enslaved by Samuel Whitney and his family between 1769 and 1775 when they lived in the Wayside: Home of Authors in Concord, MA. The original excavation in the 1960s uncovered more than 30,000 artifacts. We are excited to continue to unravel the story of Case and these artifacts.

Case was one of two people enslaved by Samuel Whitney and his family between 1769-1775 when they lived in the Wayside, one of Minute Man NHP’s historic properties. He has long been referred to as Casey in Concord’s town memory. . . read more!

Images: View of Casey House Site interpretive sign and artifacts from the 1967 excavation.

Click on the button below to learn more about the Casey House project.

In a recent immersive educational experience, students from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, explored the fields of historical interpretation at Minute Man National Historical Park. Interpretive rangers and museum staff from Minute Man demonstrated ways that history can be shared and examined by exploring the park’s museum object collections and interpretation programs.

As a part of their academic work, students created research files on Colonial-era artifacts in Minute Man National Historical Park’s museum collections. Through research and thoughtful analysis, the students crafted written descriptive texts that added valuable information to the park’s understanding of our Revolutionary War collections, such as bullet molds and powder horns, as well as 18th-century household items, such as a silver porringer crafted by Paul Revere. . . read more!

Images: Students from Carleton College receive training on interpretive programs and view archival collections.

To read more about this collaboration, please click on the button below.

February is Black History Month

Robbins House: Ellen Garrison Exhibit

Ellen Garrison was born in the Robbins House in 1823. After her inspiring and challenging youth in Concord, Massachusetts, she moved to Boston, where she became a teacher and joined the city’s social justice community. Click here to view the "Ellen Garrison – Educator, Social Justice Advocate, Daughter of Concord" exhibit online.

Freedom's Way: African Reservation Monument

Located in Bedford’s Old Burying Ground, the African Reservation Monument recognizes three enslaved men who fought for the country’s independence from Britain: Cambridge Moore, Caesar Prescott, and Caesar Jones. Erected in 1896, it may be one of the country’s earliest monuments recognizing African Americans by name for their service in the American Revolutionary War. Click here to learn more.

Did you receive this email from a friend? Sign up to receive emails delivered to your own inbox.



Friends of Minute Man National Park

North Bridge Visitor Center

174 Liberty Street

Concord, MA 01742

P: 978-318-7822

info@friendsofminuteman.org

www.friendsofminuteman.org