Massachusetts Historical Society
Upcoming Events (16)
Borderland between Earth and Heaven: Disability & Enslavement in Boston
Online seminar by the Massachusetts Historical Society exploring the intertwined legacies of slavery and disability at Boston’s Home for Aged Colored Women. This paper-in-progress highlights Black womanhood in the 19th century and invites you to register for a free virtual workshop of ongoing research.
Founding Women: Ideas of Independence
A hybrid lecture at the Massachusetts Historical Society tracing how Mercy Otis Warren, Abigail Adams and Phillis Wheatley framed revolution, independence, and freedom through letters, plays, and poetry. In-person reception at 5 pm, program at 6 pm; virtual attendance is free for online participants.
Susan Lawrence Dana: Feminism, Spiritualism, and Activism
Online lecture postponed to a later date at the Massachusetts Historical Society, examining Susan Lawrence Dana's feminism, spiritualism, and philanthropy, and how her Wright-designed mansion became a stage for self-realization and activism. Registrants will be notified when the seminar is rescheduled.
Financing the American Revolution: Supplies, Wages & Commerce
Hybrid evening at the Massachusetts Historical Society as Jeffrey M. Griffith and Hannah Farber discuss how the American Revolution was financed—through supplies, wages, and commerce—in conversation with Ann Marsh Daly. In-person reception begins at 5:30 PM; program starts at 6:00 PM.
Revisiting the Three-Fifths Compromise
Online lecture at the Massachusetts Historical Society examining a work-in-progress on the Three-Fifths Compromise and its lasting impact on taxation and political power. This workshop-style seminar explores the 1783 Continental Congress proposal and its constitutional echoes; free, register online.
Gallery Talk: The Declaration in American Memory
Join Library Assistant Brandon McGrath-Neely for 'The Declaration in American Memory,' a gallery talk accompanying the exhibition 1776: Declaring Independence at the Massachusetts Historical Society. Admission is free; explore the show and ask questions in this informative historical discussion.
Trees, Environmental Thought, and the American Conservation Movement
Hybrid panel at the Massachusetts Historical Society exploring environmental and agricultural thought in the Early American Conservation Movement, with Kristan M. Hanson highlighting Marianne North’s botanical art. In-person reception begins at 4:30 PM; online attendance is available.
Making History Gala 2026
An elegant fundraising gala at the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston, celebrating America’s 250th with Ken Burns as the featured speaker. The evening includes a 6:00 PM cocktail reception and a 7:00 PM dinner program to support the Society’s educational initiatives.
Family Ties: Biographies of Ancestors (and a Dad)
This hybrid lecture-style panel at the Massachusetts Historical Society gathers three biographically notable figures to discuss what biographies reveal about American history. Attendees can join in person for a reception at 4:15 PM or watch online for free.
Mapping a Wicked Problem: The Untold Story of New Orleans Water
Join an online seminar from the Massachusetts Historical Society as researchers reveal Mapping a Wicked Problem: The Untold Story of New Orleans Water. The talk traces Layers in Time, a mapping project that visualizes water-related events in New Orleans, covering how the idea was conceived and how tools and protocols were chosen. Learn about design decisions, limitations, and future directions in this timely, data-driven study.
Gallery Talk: From Yorktown to the Hotel d’York
Join Sara Georgini, Series Editor of the Papers of John Adams, for a gallery talk at the Massachusetts Historical Society about the exhibition From Yorktown to the Hotel d’York: Winning Peace. Attendance is free; register for the gallery talk to explore the exhibition and ask questions.
Black Dandies and the Birth of American Minstrelsy
Hybrid seminar at the Massachusetts Historical Society exploring how Edward Williams Clay’s satirical prints helped forge the Black dandy and shape early American minstrelsy. The event is free with an in-person reception at 4:30 PM, and attendees may register to attend in person or online.
Gallery Talk: 1776: Declaring Independence
Join a member of the Adams Papers staff for a gallery talk on the exhibition 1776: Declaring Independence at the Massachusetts Historical Society. Learn behind-the-scenes stories about independence, view related artifacts, and explore the exhibit with a Q&A session.
Revolutionary Narratives: From Broadsides to Hollywood
Hybrid evening at the Massachusetts Historical Society examining how Revolutionary narratives moved from 18th-century broadsides to Hollywood storytelling, with a reception at 5:30 PM and program at 6:00 PM. The talk considers contested memories of independence, media influence, and print culture in American history.
Curious & Complex Connections: Environmental History & the War of Independence
Explore how environmental factors shaped the War of Independence in this hybrid program at the Massachusetts Historical Society. In-person tickets are $10 (free for virtual attendees and Card to Culture participants); a reception begins at 5:30 PM, with the program starting at 6:00 PM.
Drafting Independence: Declaration to Constitution - advanced registration for Members now open!
Hybrid lecture at the Massachusetts Historical Society examining how the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution shaped American governance. The in-person reception starts at 5:00 PM with the program beginning at 6:00 PM; advanced registration is for members only through mid-April, with public access opening later.