Author Nicholas A. Basbanes discusses the remarkable relationship of the celebrated 19th-century poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his wife, Frances Appleton Longfellow, the focus of his recent biography of the couple, Cross of Snow, which is set largely in Boston and Cambridge during the tumultuous years leading up to the Civil War. The couple’s marriage in 1843 represented a melding of two highly gifted and principled people whose shared values and deeply held convictions found expression and purpose in manifold ways, not least of which was the influence Fanny brought to bear on Henry’s creative process, serving, in her words, as “a pretty active spur upon his Pegasus.” Revered in his time as a “poet of the people,” Longfellow’s works were translated into more than 30 languages, memorized by millions of people, with lines that resonate to this day.
Henry and Fanny Longfellow: An American Love Story of Uncommon Consequence
With Nicholas A. Basbanes
National Endowment for the Humanities Public Scholar
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Time: 7:00pm-8:30pm
Upcoming Featured Events
Online Speaker Series
On Courage: How to Be a Dissident in an Age of Fear
Join us on Zoom for a conversation with Julia Angwin and Ami Fields-Meyer about their interviews with over 100 dissidents and activists.
Online Speaker Series
On Courage: How to Be a Dissident in an Age of Fear
Join us on Zoom for a special event with Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Julia Angwin and former White House senior policy advisor Ami Fields-Meyer, authors of the new book, On Courage: How to Be a Dissident in an Age of Fear. You may remember their acclaimed 2025 New Yorker essay “So You Want to Be a Dissident?” which offered a roadmap for resisting authoritarianism through courage, community, and nonviolent action, and sparked a wave of conversation and debate.
Online Speaker Series
The Sea Captain’s Wife: A True Story of Mutiny, Love and Adventure
Join us on Zoom to learn about the harrowing adventure of Old North congregant Mary Ann Patten, the first female captain of a merchant ship.
Online Speaker Series
The Sea Captain’s Wife: A True Story of Mutiny, Love and Adventure
The New York Times bestselling author Tilar J. Mazzeo will deliver a fascinating talk about her popular book The Sea Captain’s Wife: A True Story of Mutiny, Love and Adventure at the Bottom of the World. The book details the true story of Mary Ann Patten, the first female captain of a merchant ship, who navigated the treacherous waters of Antarctica in 1856. Thrilling, harrowing, and heroic, Mary Ann’s story is one of a woman who, for love, would do what was necessary to survive.
Special Event
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: A Musical Reading
Experience a hauntingly beautiful autumn night at the Old North Church with a musical reading of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Special Event
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: A Musical Reading
Step into the shadows of history at Boston’s oldest church as the brilliant Johnny Kinsman brings Washington Irving’s classic tale of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman to life. The gripping live recitation is perfectly paired with a breathtaking atmospheric score of original music performed by multi-instrumentalists Josiah Reibstein, Joe Kessler, and Tev Stevig. Elevate your experience by adding an Old North Church Crypt Tour to your itinerary.
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Worship on Sunday
Join us for Sunday summer services at 10am. For over 300 years, we have drawn people from every background and denomination. Whether visiting Boston briefly or seeking a permanent spiritual home, know we are delighted to welcome you to Old North Church.
Worship service
Sunday Services
Our Sunday services follow the liturgies in the Episcopal Church’s Book of Common Prayer, supplemented by a rich array of resources from across our Anglican tradition, especially the Church of England and the Anglican Church of Canada, as well as our Lutheran full communion partners.
Most Sundays we celebrate the Holy Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or the Mass. Choral Matins (traditional Anglican Morning Prayer) is offered several times a year. Lessons & Carols are held in Advent and Epiphany.