A panel of scholars responds to the second part of the PBS miniseries Slavery and the Making of America, which focuses on the Northeast, and includes the story of Mum Bett, who sued for her freedom in Massachusetts and whose victory led to the abolition of slavery in Massachusetts in 1783.
American Textile History Museum curator Karen Herbaugh looks at the sewing diaries of three New England women and one young girl, compiled in the late 1800s and early 1900s. She examines the history of fashion and fabric revealed by the diaries. This presentation includes slides.
Audio and video options are available.
A panel including sports columnists and announcers and the Boston Red Sox president discusses how perception and management of baseball has changed over time. The panel addresses contemporary material as well as historical.
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Professor Jonathan Chu looks at the development of U.S. trade with China following the Revolutionary War, in which the U.S. became China's second largest western trading partner and imported great quantities of tea, silk, and ceramics. His presentation includes slides.
Historian Anthony Sammarcora follows the history of molasses in the 18th-century United States, looking at its importance to the world economy, its connection with the slave trade, and the Boston molasses flood.
Video (with or without captions) and audio options are available.
Ken Turino, exhibitions manager for the exhibit "Cherished Possessions," examines the history of New England furniture and decorative objects and the ways in which they were preserved and handed down over time. His presentation includes slides.
Video and audio options are available.
Nancy Carlisle, curator of the exhibit "Cherished Possessions," examines the history of New England furniture and decorative arts objects and the lives of the people who owned them. Carlisle covers objects and people from the 17th to the late 20th century. Her presentation includes slides.
Professor Gerald L. Early discusses cultural observations on Curt Flood, the first player in Major League Baseball to challenge the infamous "reserve clause" which opened the doors to free agency. Early focuses on the significance of sports as a public arena.
Julie Winch discusses the highly successful African-American Remond family and their business of catering lavish parties in Boston and Newport in the 1800s. Winch focuses on the Remonds as free African Americans and supporters of abolitionism during the era of slavery.
Curator Sally Pierce and associate curator Catharina Slautterback review the history of the Boston Atheneaum's collections of prints and photographs, beginning with the Atheneaum's founding in 1807. They look at the contents of the collections; how the items were obtained, collected, and exhibited; and what they indicate about changes in tastes and available materials over time. The presentation includes slides.
The lecture's audio is also available for download.