MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
1154 BOYLSTON STREET, BOSTON, MA 02215 www.masshist.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: TO PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING OF THE HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS AND THE NATION BY COLLECTING AND COMMUNICATING MATERIALS AND RESOURCES THAT FOSTER HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE.

THE MHS SEEKS TO MAKE AMERICAN HISTORY RELEVANT AND ACCESSIBLE TO ANYONE.

AS THE NATIONS' FIRST HISTORICAL SOCIETY, THE MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY (MHS) STRIVES TO ENHANCE THE UNDERSTANDING OF OUR NATION'S PAST AND ITS CONNECTION TO THE PRESENT, DEMONSTRATING THAT HISTORY IS NOT JUST A SERIES OF EVENTS THAT HAPPENED TO INDIVIDUALS LONG AGO BUT IS INTEGRAL TO THE FABRIC OF OUR DAILY LIVES. ITS COLLECTIONS ARE ACCESSIBLE TO ANYONE WITH AN INTEREST IN AMERICAN HISTORY. BEYOND RESEARCH, THE MHS OFFERS MANY WAYS FOR THE PUBLIC TO ENJOY ITS COLLECTIONS INCLUDING ENGAGING PROGRAMS, THROUGH-PROVOKING EXHIBITIONS, PUBLICATIONS, SEMINARS, AND TEACHER WORKSHOPS.PLEASE SEE SCH. O FOR ADDITIONAL PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS & DESCRIPTIONS.COLLECTIONS - THE SOCIETY'S EXTRAORDINARY COLLECTIONS TELL THE STORY OF AMERICA THROUGH MILLIONS OF RARE AND UNIQUE DOCUMENTS, ARTIFACTS, AND NATIONAL TREASURES, INCLUDING THE PERSONAL PAPERS OF THREE PRESIDENTS - JOHN ADAMS, JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, AND THOMAS JEFFERSON. THROUGH ITS RESEARCH LIBRARY, ONLINE RESOURCES, PUBLICATIONS, EXHIBITIONS, ANDPROGRAMS, THE MHS MAKES ITS HOLDING ACCESSIBLE TO ANYONE WITH AN INTEREST IN THE PEOPLE AND EVENTS THAT SHAPED OUR COUNTRY. PAUL REVERE'S HANDWRITTEN ACCOUNT OF HIS FAMOUS RIDE, THOMAS JEFFERSON'S AND JOHN ADAM'S MANUSCRIPT COPIES OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND ELBRIDGE GERRY'S ANNOTATED COPY OF THE CONSTITUTION-THESE ARE AMONG THE MANY ICONIC AMERICAN DOCUMENTS OF THE MHS. SPANNING FOUR CENTURIES, THE SOCIETY'S COLLECTIONS-THE LETTERS, DIARIES, AND OTHER PERSONAL PAPERS OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, AS WELL AS THEIR BOOKS, PHOTOGRAPHS, MAPS, NEWSPAPERS, ARTIFACTS, AND WORKS OF ART-HAVE BECOME ESSENTIAL PRIMARY SOURCES FOR THE STUDY AND UNDERSTANDING OF AMERICAN HISTORY. THE LIBRARY IS FREE AND OPEN TO RESEARCHERS OF ALL AGES AND LEVELS OF INTEREST IN OUR COLLECTIONS SIX DAYS A WEEK. THE LIBRARY DOES NOT LEND MATERIALS, BUT ANY PERSON INTERESTED IN USING THE COLLECTION CAN REGISTER AS A RESEARCHER AND USE MATERIALS IN THE LIBRARY. IN MANY CASES SELECTED MATERIALS CAN BE PRODUCED AND SENT TO INDIVIDUALS WHO CANNOT VISIT LIBRARY IN PERSON.EXHIBITIONS - THE SOCIETY'S EXHIBITIONS CELEBRATE THE PERSPECTIVE AMERICAN HISTORY BRINGS TO OUR OWN TIME AND ILLUSTRATE HOW IT SUSTAINS OUR REPUBLIC AND GUIDES OUR FUTURE. AS A MAJOR HISTORY PRESENTATION VENUE FOR THE REGION, THE MHS PRODUCES EXHIBITIONS THAT ARE THEMATIC, TELL STORIES, AND EXPLORE HOW TURNING POINTS IN THE PAST ARE REFLECTED IN CULTURE TODAY. THOUGH "CAN SHE DO IT?" MASSACHUSETTS DEBATES A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO VOTE (OPEN APRIL 26 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 21, 2019) OPENED TOWARD THE END OF THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR, IT WAS ONE OF TWO MAJOR EXHIBITIONS AT THE MHS IN FY2019. COMMEMORATING 100 YEARS SINCE MASSACHUSETTS RATIFIED THE 19TH AMENDMENT THE EXHIBITION EXPLORED THE ACTIVISM AND DEBATE AROUND WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE IN MASSACHUSETTS. IT FEATURED DYNAMIC IMAGERY FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE MHS AND ILLUSTRATED THE PASSION ON EACH SIDE OF THE SUFFRAGE QUESTION. IN COMMEMORATION OF THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BOSTON MASSACRE, OUR SECOND EXHIBITION OF THE FISCAL YEAR OPENED IN OCTOBER 2019. WITNESSED AND DESCRIBED BY MANY, IN BOTH WORDS AND IMAGES, THE BOSTON MASSACRE MAY BE ONE OF THE LEAST UNDERSTOOD INCIDENTS IN AMERICAN HISTORY. THOUGH CONTRADICTORY ACCOUNTS AND TESTIMONY LED TO ACQUITTALS FOR ALL OF TWO OF THE ACCUSED SOLDIERS, THE "MASSACRE" BECAME A LANDMARK EVENT ON THE PATH TO REVOLUTION. THROUGH A SELECTION OF ARTIFACTS, EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS, AND TRIAL TESTIMONYTHE VOICES OF ORDINARY MEN AND WOMENFIRE! VOICE FROM THE BOSTON MASSACRE (OCTOBER 31, 2019 THROUGH MAY 31 2020) EXPLORED HOW THIS FLASHPOINT CHANGED AMERICAN HISTORY. EDUCATION AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS - CONTINUING TO DEVELOP A VIBRANT SELECTION OF PUBLIC AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ENABLES THE MHS TO HELP ENHANCE THE UNDERSTANDING OF OUR NATION'S PAST AND ITS CONNECTION TO THE PRESENT. WHERE OPINIONS VARY, THE MHS PROVIDES A FORUM FOR DEBATE. PROGRAMMING DESIGNED FOR A GENERAL AUDIENCE ATTRACTED MORE THAN 6,770 ATTENDEES AT 61 PROGRAMS OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR (THIS INCLUDES OUR SHIFT TO VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC). THE SOCIETY OFFERED SCHOLARS AND OTHERS WHO JOINED US FOR ACADEMIC PRESENTATIONS A TOTAL OF 49 PROGRAMS-27 SEMINARS IN 7 SERIES, 21 BROWN-BAG LUNCH PROGRAMS, AND A RECEPTION AT THE START OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR TO INTRODUCE THE SOCIETY TO GRADUATE STUDENTS. AS PART OF ITS EFFORTS TO PROMOTE HISTORY AND CIVICS EDUCATION, THE MHS OFFERS AN ENGAGING ARRAY OF PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES TO K-12 TEACHERS AND STUDENTS INCLUDING WORKSHOPS, FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, AND CURRICULUM RESOURCES. AS SCHOOLS SHUT DOWN IN THE SPRING OF 2020 AND EDUCATORS MOVED TO A REMOTE TEACHING ENVIRONMENT, THE MHS COMPILED VIRTUAL TOOLKITS WITH EASY-TO-USE PRIMARY SOURCE MATERIALS THAT WERE E-MAILED TO TEACHERS IN WEEKLY INSTALLMENTS. IN ITS ROLE AS STATE SPONSOR OF NATIONAL HISTORY DAY IN MASSACHUSETTS, THE MHS ORGANIZED THE FIRST-EVER VIRTUAL CONTEST FOR STUDENTS IN THE COMMONWEALTH IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THERE WERE 686 STUDENTS FROM 102 CITIES AND TOWNS ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM. THERE WERE 61 FIRST AND SECOND PRIZE WINNERS WHO ADVANCED TO THE NATIONAL CONTEST AND 102 STUDENTS WHO RECEIVED SPECIAL PRIZES.RESEARCH - THE SOCIETY STRIVES TO FOSTER A RESEARCH COMMUNITY THAT ACTIVELY PROMOTES THE STUDY OF THE HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS AND THE NATION. WE OFFER AN EXCEPTIONAL RANGE OF RESOURCES FOR MAKING AND SHARING HISTORICAL DISCOVERIES. RESEARCHERS CAN ENJOY PUBLIC TALKS, TOURS, EXHIBITIONS, SCHOLARLY SEMINARS, BROWN-BAG LUNCHES, AND CONFERENCES AS WELL AS GAIN ACCESS TO OUR UNPARALLELED COLLECTIONS THROUGH OUR RESEARCH LIBRARY AND WEBSITE.THE MHS OFFERS MORE THAN 30 RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN FOUR ANNUAL COMPETITIONS, AND PROVIDES SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE TO MORE THAN 700 SCHOLARS EVERY YEAR. THE MHS WELCOMES A WIDE VARIETY OF RESEARCHERS-REPRESENTING 42 STATES AND 11 COUNTRIES-FROM HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND FAMILY HISTORIANS TO PROFESSORS AND PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING AUTHORS. THESE RESEARCHERS NETWORK, SHARE THEIR FINDINGS, AND EXCHANGE IDEAS.PUBLICATION AND DOCUMENTARY EDITING INCLUDING THE ADAMS PAPERS - THE MHS BEGAN PUBLISHING BOOKS IN 1792 AND IS ONE OF THE OLDEST, CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING PUBLISHERS IN THE UNITED STATES, AND MAKES AVAILABLE PRINTED BOOKS, ELECTRONIC PUBLICATIONS, A NEWSLETTER, AND SCHOLARLY JOURNAL. THE MHS PUBLISHES PRINT AND ELECTRONIC WORKS THAT PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT AND MAKE AVAILABLE THE CONTENT OF SOME OF ITS MOST SIGNIFICANT COLLECTIONS AND THE PEOPLE WHO CREATED THEM. AS PART OF ITS MISSION, THE MHS MAINTAINS ITS OWN PUBLISHING PROGRAM AND HOSTS THE OFFICES OF THE ADAMS PAPERS EDITORIAL PROJECT. FOUNDED IN 1954, THE PROJECT PREPARES A COMPREHENSIVE EDITION, IN PRINT AND DIGITAL FORMATS, OF THE MANUSCRIPTS WRITTEN AND RECEIVED BY THREE GENERATION OF THE ADAMS FAMILY OF BRAINTREE AND QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS. THE ADAMS FAMILY PAPERS MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION AT THE MHS FORMS THE NUCLEUS OF THE PROJECT, ALTHOUGH THE EDITORS HAVE GATHERED MORE THAN 28,000 COPIES OF ADDITIONAL ADAMS WRITINGS FROM HUNDREDS OF LIBRARIES, INSTITUTIONS, AND INDIVIDUALS IN THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD. TO DATE, NEARLY 60 PRINT VOLUMES HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BY HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS, MOST OF WHICH ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AS PART OF THE ADAMS PAPERS DIGITAL EDITION.

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