Historic Site Events

A Resistance History of the United States
Live on Zoom
January 22, 2026
6:00 – 7:30pm

In his forthcoming book, A Resistance History of the United States, public historian Tad Stoermer argues that the U.S. was shaped by resistance—but not in the way we’ve been taught. The American Revolution did not secure liberty for the masses; it opened the door to either liberty or oppression, where only white men enjoyed all of the benefits and protections of citizenship. From the very beginning, that tension—between the ideals of resistance and the realities of power—has defined America more than the Enlightenment ideals enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Join Tad on Zoom for a discussion about his new book and the resistance movements it chronicles. The wide-ranging talk will touch on a number of pivotal moments in American history, including:

• Bacon’s Rebellion/Metacomet’s War (1676)
• Salem Witch Trials (1692)
• The Black Loyalists (1783)
• The Underground Railroad (1850)

Through these stories of resistance, Tad will dismantle the mythologies that pass for American history—exposing the curated nostalgia, moral evasions, and institutional silences that have long protected abusive power. What emerges is an essential look at how we can take lessons from the past to understand and effectively respond to the injustices we face today.

Please note that this talk will begin at 6pm, which is an hour earlier than our Speaker Series talks usually start.

Queer & Trans Early America in Print
Live on Zoom
February 11, 2026
7:00 – 8:30pm

Questions of gender identity and sexuality are nothing new. Long before people identified as transgender or lesbian, there were female husbands — people assigned female at birth who transed gender, lived as men, and entered into legal marriages with women.

Early America is filled with histories of queer pioneers, from female husbands to sailors, children, and prisoners. During the early republic and antebellum period, these stories were featured in newspapers, magazines, and children’s literature. In this talk, historian Jen Manion will examine these queer and trans stories that appeared in print. They will explore questions like:

• How were queer and trans people represented in print media at the time?
• What can these stories tell us about the lives of queer and trans people?
• What were their experiences like prior to medicalization and the invention of modern categories such as homosexual and transgender?

On April 16, 2025, we were honored to present the celebrated filmmaker Ken Burns with the Third Lantern Award at Lanterns & Luminaries, our annual celebration of “two if by sea.” The award recognizes those who embody the values of leadership, courage, hope, tenacity, and active citizenship.

This video includes the full program, including remarks by Mr. Burns, Senator Ed Markey, and Governor Maura Healey. Guests at Lanterns & Luminaries enjoyed a sneak peek of Mr. Burns’s new documentary, The American Revolution, which is scheduled to premiere on PBS on November 16, 2025. An abbreviated clip from the documentary is shown in this recording of Lanterns & Luminaries.