Current Local Civil War Events / News, in MassachusettsPosted by the Olde Colony Civil War Round TableThis is a public information service on current local (Mass.) event / news, on the American Civil War, in Massachusetts. Disclaimer:
Though we attempt to post accurate information, we are not responsible or liable for any cancellation or changes of any event due to unforseen circumstances, nor are we responsible for error or misprint of information beyond our control.
Please contact the sponsor of the event and double-check the date to make sure that the programs haven't changed.
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Olde Colony Civil War Round Table Jubilee Banquet 2009
The Olde Colony Civil War Round Table of Dedham, MA will hold their annual Jubilee Dinner on Thursday October 8, 2009 at Lombardo’s in Randolph, MA. The OCCWRT will be honored to have Dr. Michael Burlingame, the May Buckley Sadowski Professor of History Emeritus at Connecticut College, as their guest speaker. His topic for the evening will be “Abraham Lincoln: New Findings, Fresh Perspectives.” This event is a major fundraising event for the OCCWRT and supports the local preservation efforts and a yearly scholarship at the Gettysburg Institute.
Tickets are $30.00 and may be purchased from Richard Campagna at 102 Pratt Ave. Dedham, MA 02026. For more information, call 781-326-2073.
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The Boston Public Library's Civil War Lecture series for 2009.
April 2, 2009. Massachusetts Lecture
"Giants: The Parallel Lives of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln," John Stauffer, Boston Public Library, Copley Square, Boston Room, Thursday, April 2, 2009, 6:30 p.m., 617-536-5400. Booksigning to follow. Free and open to the public.
—Henry Louis Gates, Jr JOHN STAUFFER is chair of the History of American Civilization and Professor of English at Harvard University. His first book, The Black Hearts of Men: Radical Abolitionists and the Transformation of Race (Harvard University Press, 2002) was co-winner of the 2002 Frederick Douglass Book Prize from the Gilder Lehrman Institute, the winner of the Avery O. Craven Award from the Organization of American Historians, and the runner-up for the Lincoln Prize. He is also the co-author of Meteor of War: The John Brown Story and the editor of the Modern Library edition of Frederick Douglass’s My Bondage and My Freedom. He lives in Cambridge, MA. You can visit his website at www.johnstaufferbooks.com. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Boston Public Library's Civil War Lecture series for 2009.
April 23, 2009. Massachusetts Lecture
"Lincoln and the West," James McPherson, Boston Public Library, Copley Square, Rabb Lecture Hall. Thursday, April 23, 2009, 6:30 p.m., 617-536-5400. Booksigning to follow. Free and open to the public. Lincoln and the West
Lincoln was a product of the American West and his political career was much concerned with Western issues: the question of the expansion of slavery into the territories; the transcontinental railroad; the Western theater during the Civil War; and Indian-White relations in the West. This lecture will explore these issues.
James M. McPherson is the author of fifteen books and the editor of another ten, mostly dealing with the era of the Civil War and Reconstruction. His books have won several prizes, including the Pulitzer Prize in history (1989) for Battle Cry of Freedom; The Civil War Era; the Lincoln Prize (1998) for For Cause and Comrades; Why Men Fought in the Civil War; and a second Lincoln Prize (2009) for Tried By War; Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief. He has served as president of the American Historical Association and the Society of American Historians. From 1962 to 2004 he taught at Princeton University, where he is now the George Henry Davis '86 Professor of American History Emeritus.
All events are free and open to the public. There will be a book signing following the program. 39980.11105.833Information was sent to me by Helen Hannon (2/26/2009)
Abraham LincolnBi
Abraham Lincoln Symposium
April 24th and 25th, 2009.
Houghton Library, the Lincoln Forum, and the Lincoln Group of Boston to Sponsor Symposium Marking Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial April 24th and 25th, 2009.
The year 2009 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. As part of the Lincoln Bicentennial celebrations, Harvard University’s Houghton Library will co-sponsor with the Lincoln Forum and the Lincoln Group of Boston a symposium on Abraham Lincoln at 200: New Perspectives on His Life and Legacy. The symposium, to be held at Houghton Library and other Harvard University venues on Friday, April 24, through Saturday, April 25, 2009, will coincide with a major exhibition featuring books, manuscripts, ephemera, and artifacts from Houghton Library's Abraham Lincoln Collection. The symposium will examine or re-examine several aspects of Lincoln’s career, such as his views on race and slavery, his role as Commander-in-Chief, his use of the press to shape public opinion, his relationship with Congress and his influence on the legislative process, and his role as a politician and as a party leader. Several prominent Lincoln and Civil War scholars have agreed to participate, including Michael Beschloss, Gabor Boritt, Brian Dirck, David Herbert Donald, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Drew Gilpin Faust, Richard W. Fox, Harold Holzer, James McPherson, Edna Greene Medford, Matthew Pinsker, Gerald J. Prokopowicz, John Y. Simon, Edward Steers, Craig Symonds, Thomas Turner, Michael Vorenberg, and Frank J. Williams. Details on the symposium and exhibition will be announced over the next year, so please check this page periodically. This program has been endorsed by the United States Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission as an official event of Lincoln's 200th year, and will be promoted widely on its Web site. Two of the scheduled conference participants, Professor Boritt and Chief Justice Williams, serve as commissioners of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, and Mr. Holzer serves as one of the three co-chairs. (Posted in November, 2007; sent by Helen Hannon.) Symposium participants included Drew Gilpin Faust, Jean H. Baker, Brian Direck Michael Beschloss, Gabor Boritt, David Herbert Donald, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Richard W. Fox, Harold Holzer, John Marszalek, James McPherson, Edna Greene Medford, Matthew Pinsker, Gerald J. Prokopowicz, Barry Schwartz, John Stauffer, Craig Symonds, Thomas Turner, Michael Vorenberg, and Frank J. Williams.
Registration fee for the symposium is $165.00 per person. Please contact Peter X. Accardo 617-496-4027 in advance.
(Updated on March 16, 2009. Source: occwrt March 2009 Newsletter.)
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Medford Historical Society
Of the people: Faces of the Civil War
2/27/09 to 4/20/09
Fifty-five rare Civil War photographs from a remarkable and nearly forgotten collection will be publicly exhibited for the first time by the Medford Historical Society. Of the People: Faces of the Civil War includes stunning portraits of the men, women, children, freed slaves, immigrants and Native Americans who fought and were profoundly affected by the Civil War. The exhibit and an accompanying lecture series runs February 27-April 30 at MHS headquarters in Medford, Mass.
Tips For Visitors
Of the People will open at MHS headquarters at 10 Governors Ave in Medford on February 27 from 7:00-9:00 pm. Through April 30, public exhibition hours will be 12:00-3:00 pm on Saturdays and 12-4:00 pm on Sundays. Admission is free. Of the People Lecture Series
In conjunction with the Of the People exhibit, the MHS is offering a series of lectures:
African-American Soldiers in the Civil War
Lecture by Michael Chesson Friday, March 20, 7:30 pm At The West Medford Community Center (111 Arlington Street) Fort Warren in the Civil War
Lecture by Jay Schmidt Tuesday, March 31, 7:30 pm At The Royall House (15 George Street) I'll Pass for your Comrade: Women Soldiers in the Civil War
Lecture by Anita Silvey Wednesday, April 22, 7:00 pm At the Medford Public Library (111 High Street) FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Kiely 617-233-1982 or Barbara Kerr 781-395-7950 (Posted on 2/17/09, sent by the Medford Historical Society)
Lincoln Birthday Celebration The Forbes House Museum has a long standing tradition of celebrating Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday.
This year they are pleased to announce and honored that their Lincoln Bicentennial activities have been endorsed by both the State and National Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commissions. On February 8, 2009 a Lincoln Day Bicentennial Celebration is planned at the Forbes House Museum, 215 Adams Street.
The day will include Civil War Re-enactors from the Mass 22nd and 54th regiments, a living history team portraying President Lincoln and Mary Todd, the US Navy Band Northeast, hot chocolate and selections from the Museum’s Lincoln Collection.
The Rivalry
Newburyport Firehouse Vincent Dowling Theater Company Theater, MA October 24-26, Fri-Sat 8pm, Sun 3pm (2008) By Norman Corwin Directed by Vincent Dowling This play is a perfect combination of a wonderful work of dramatic art and an unforgettable history lesson that echoes from Abraham Lincoln to today. The year 1858 saw a series of seven debates between Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, and Stephen A. Douglas, a Democrat, for an Illinois seat in the United States Senate. The debates presaged the issues that Lincoln faced in the 1860 Presidential campaign and are remembered partially for the eloquence of both sides. Written in 1958—to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Great Debates—the professional revival of this production is appropriate now—for the 150th Anniversary—as well as for issues facing the United States as the backdrop for the 2008 Presidential election. This event is co-produced by the Firehouse an Vincent Dowling Theater Company. $25 Members • $28 Non Members • $20 Students http://www.firehouse.org/L3-shows-theater2.html (Posted in September, 2008) Olde Colony Civil War Round Table Jubilee Dinner, October 16, 2008. Civil War reenactment at Borderland State Park in Easton/Sharon, MA, Saturday 9/13/08, Sunday 9/14/08. An operatic production "Our American Cousin" will be showing on The website promoting the production is at: Monday May 12, 2008 John Burrows, 6:30, Mezzanine Conf. Room, Free John Burrows is a design historian and owner of J. R. Burrows & Company, Historical-Design Merchants of Rockland, Massachusetts. "Researching the Lincoln Cabinet Office." Tuesday, April 22, Fredric Woodbridge Wilson, 6:30, Free, Mezzanine Conf. Room., Free Fredric Woodbridge Wilson, Curator, Harvard University Theatre Collection, "Theatre in the Civil War: Before, During and After." DETAILS: April 9, 2008 Date: February 2, 2008 Hello Mr. Hall and Mr. Kwok, The event is fairly patriotic in flavor with a color guard, firearm salutes by local milita, music from the Revolutionary and Civil War eras. The climax is the laying of a wreath at the Abraham Lincoln statue at Fountain Square, then refreshments at Old Derby Academy. If you or any of your members are interested in participating, or even just attending, contact me at 781-749-7721 or director@hinghamhistorical.org I look forward to hearing from you & I’ll follow up soon with a more official invitation. Suzanne Buchanan, Director Posted on December 26, 2007 In Attleboro, MA, at 10 a.m. on Saturday, November 10th, 2007. Blue and Gray Education Society Ed Bearss's Boston, Cradle of the Revolutions - The American Revolution and The Civil War The Faculty Blue and Gray Education For more detail, please refer to the Blue and Gray Education website. You are cordially invited to join the Civil War Round Table of New Hampshire for a cemetery tour! (Date changed again!) Olde Colony Civil War Round Table 2007 Jubilee Banquet October 3, 2007 Olde Colony Civil War Round Table Election result, for the term from 9/2007 to 8/2009 Elected Officers President: Bob Hall Blue and Gray Education Society (Posted on July 16, 2007. "The North in the Civil War" Symposium is cancelled by the Blue and Gray Education Society.) "The North in the Civil War" Symposium Saturday, October 20th, 2007 Sunday, October 21st, 2007 This program is the BGES’ second official Sesquicentennial Program and it will present two days of lectures and discussion about the subjects such as The Mormon Expedition, Bleeding Kansas, The Caning of Charles Sumner, The Banking Crisis of 1857, The Inauguration of James Buchanan as the 15th President of the United States and the impact of the Dred Scott Decision. This 6th annual lecture series is one of the great undiscovered academic exercises of the Civil War circuit. Massachusetts School of Law at Andover Massachusetts School of Law Civil War Conference A Day With James McPherson: Interpretations Old and New- based on This Mighty Scourge. August 25, 2007. Helen C. Hannon, former President of the Civil War Discussion Group of the Boston Athenaeum will receive a Preservation Award on her preservation work of Civil War Monument. The 2007 Preservation Award is given by the Victorian Society in America / New England Chapter to Helen's work on the restoration of the Charles Russell Lowell Post No. 7 Grand Army of the Republic Monument, Mount Hope Cemetery, Mattapan, (Boston) Massachusetts. Other recipients of the Victorian Society in America / New England Chapter, 2007 Awards included The Exhibit: The Society's summer 2007 major exhibition, Sacrifice of Self: Nahant and the Civil War brings this era to life, including rare images and artifacts, many never on public view before, as well as poetry and music. Olde Colony Civil War Round Table picnic Olde Colony CWRT member Bill Hickey will participate re-enactment of his 5th Mass Artillery Regiment in the Borderland State Park in Sharon/Easton, June 16 and 17, 2007, with other re-enactors. Camp opens up to public at 9:00 a.m. on both days. Webmaster's note: I attended the event and visited Bill's camp site, talked to the soldiers and watched the fighting re-enactment. Martha Morgan Pierce Gravesite Marker Dedication Webmaster's note: I have been corresponding with Joseph Pierce's great granddaughters for quite a while, and it will be a great great honor to meet them. I will be meeting the link to history. Even though it is not a Massachusetts event, it is an important New England Civil War event. That's why I list this event here. Webmaster's note: June 10, 2007--- I went to the Martha Morgan Pierce Gravesite Marker Dedication event, and met Joseph and Martha Pierce's 3 great granddaughters. Even though this is the first time we met, it seems that we are long lost old friends. We talk and talk about the old times, the happy times. They are so happy to meet me, and I feel exactly the same way. We talk more and more after the Dedication. It is a very happy time together. Many thanks to the host, Irving and Julie Moy, and the 14th CVI regiment re-enacting group. Dyer Memorial Library in Abington. MA ---- Olde Colony Civil War Round Table member and researcher Jack Zeletsky donated 3 missing volumes plus the index volume of the Southern Historical Society Papers to Dyer, so that the Library would have a complete set of the Southern Historical Society Papers. Boston Public Library Monday, May 14, 2007 Speakers: Sherry H. Penney Professor of Leadership at UMass Boston, and Jim Livingston, Senior Lecturer at MIT, are authors of A Very Dangerous Woman: Martha Wright and Women's Rights. Martha Pelham Wright saw her son Willy Wright and her nephew John Pelham off to war, Willy to join the Army of the Potomac and John to join the Army of Northern Virginia. Each an artillery officer, Willy and John faced each other across several bloody battlefields. This talk will cover the actions of Willy and John and other family members in the war, and the activities of Martha Wright in the abolition and women's rights movements. Martha, along with her sister Lucretia Mott, attended the first meeting of the American Anti-Slavery Society in 1833 and planned the world's first women's rights convention, held in Seneca Falls in 1848. Martha, elected this year to the National Women's Hall of Fame, was born in Boston on Christmas Day 1806. Monday, May 21, 2007 Speaker: Professor Robert J. Allison teaches history at Suffolk University, is an author and editor of numerous books, is a life member of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, and fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Ball’s Bluff (21 October 1861) was a small battle by the standards of the Civil War, but had ramifications far beyond its size. Malvern Hill (1 July 1862) was the culminating event of the Seven Day’s battles on the Virginia peninsula. This talk will include the impact by and on the Massachusetts regiments involved in these battles. Wednesday, May 23, 2007 Speaker: Charles C. Calhoun is author of "Longfellow: A Rediscovered Life" (Beacon Press, 2004) and of a history of Longfellow’s alma mater, Bowdoin College. A resident of Dorchester, he is co-chair of the Longfellow Bicentennial Committee, helping plan commemorations around the country of the poet’s birth in 1807. Educated at the University of Virginia and at Oxford, he also serves as Scholar in Residence at the Maine Humanities Council, in Portland, Me. Still in deep mourning after his wife Fanny’s death in 1861, Longfellow followed the early course of the American Civil War from the peaceful refuge of his Cambridge study. But the war suddenly came home to him when his elder son Charley ran off and joined the Union Army. How Longfellow dealt with these great personal crises – including Charley’s near-death in battle -- in the midst of a great national catastrophe is the focus of this talk. All events are FREE and open to the public Credit: Information on the Boston Public Library Civil War Lectures, and some other events, were provided to me by Helen Hannon, former President of the Civil War Discussion Group of the Boston Athenaeum. Many thanks. Webmaster : Gordon Kwok
Email address: gordonkwok@aol.com May 1, 2007 Updated on August 25, 2008 Updated on March 16, 2009 |