Bostonian Society Lectures

Boston, MA

A Knock at the Door: Three Centuries of Governmental Search and Seizure
J.L. Bell
November 4, 2009
01:13:38
Public historian J.L. Bell, legal scholars Frederick Lane and Joseph McEttrick, and Kurt Opsahl, discuss the historical origins of the protection against unreasonable search and seizure, as well as modern challenges to this long-cherished protection of our rights.
Historic Voices: Boston Students Echo Boston Patriots
Robert J. Allison
March 6, 2009
01:13:36
Boston Latin School commemorates the 239th anniversary of the Boston Massacre by dramatizing the words of orators such as John Hancock, Joseph Warren, and John Rock.
Crack in the Glass Ceiling: Boston Women Entering Politics
Sarah Deutsch
October 22, 2008
01:13:00
Sarah Deutsch, Dean of Social Sciences at Duke University and a scholar of gender and race in the early 20th century, explores the role of Boston's suffragists during the turbulent era when women secured the right to vote and officially entered the world of politics.
Preserving Boston's Old State House
Donald Tellalian
September 16, 2008
01:03:07
Members of the Old State House preservation team talk about the exciting discoveries that were made throughout their most recent restoration project. At 295 years old, the Old State House undergoes a major preservation project.
Mercy Otis Warren: Muse of the Revolution
Barbara Delorey
June 17, 2008
01:02:08
Barbara Delorey, Patrice Hatcher, and Nancy Rubin Stewart enact and describe Mercy Otis Warren's important contributions to the American Revolution.
238th Anniversary of the Boston Massacre
Robert J. Allison
March 5, 2008
01:15:54
Robert Allison narrates a commemorative reading of the Boston Massacre Orations by local high school students on the 238th anniversary of the massacre. On March 5, 1770, British soldiers killed 5 men on the streets of Boston in what would become known as the Boston Massacre.
Crack in the Glass Ceiling: Boston Women Entering Politics
Sarah Deutsch
October 22, 2008
01:13:00
Sarah Deutsch, Dean of Social Sciences at Duke University and a scholar of gender and race in the early 20th century, explores the role of Boston's suffragists during the turbulent era when women secured the right to vote and officially entered the world of politics.
A Knock at the Door: Three Centuries of Governmental Search and Seizure
J.L. Bell
November 4, 2009
01:13:38
Public historian J.L. Bell, legal scholars Frederick Lane and Joseph McEttrick, and Kurt Opsahl, discuss the historical origins of the protection against unreasonable search and seizure, as well as modern challenges to this long-cherished protection of our rights.
Lucy Ellen Sewall and the MA Infant Asylum
Martha N. Gardner
June 7, 2007
00:55:12
Martha N. Gardner explores Lucy Ellen Sewall's medical and social attitudes, as well as the complicated position that women held in the field.
Preserving Boston's Old State House
Donald Tellalian
September 16, 2008
01:03:07
Members of the Old State House preservation team talk about the exciting discoveries that were made throughout their most recent restoration project. At 295 years old, the Old State House undergoes a major preservation project.
Boston on Fire
Paul A. Christian
February 12, 2008
01:05:07
Paul A. Christian and the members of the Boston Fire Historical Society discuss the history of fire in Boston. Since the massive fire of 1872, which destroyed much of downtown Boston, fire has forever altered the city's appearance, fortunes, and psyche.
238th Anniversary of the Boston Massacre
Robert J. Allison
March 5, 2008
01:15:54
Robert Allison narrates a commemorative reading of the Boston Massacre Orations by local high school students on the 238th anniversary of the massacre. On March 5, 1770, British soldiers killed 5 men on the streets of Boston in what would become known as the Boston Massacre.

The Bostonian Society’s mission is to strengthen the fabric of civil society by building meaningful connections to Boston and all Bostonians, past, present, and future, through the creative use of public history. Serving a city with a rich historical legacy, The Bostonian Society illuminates all aspects of Boston's history, the contributions of its citizens, and the strength and continuity of its diverse neighborhoods. The Bostonian Society was founded in 1881 to save the Old State House, Boston's oldest public building (1713) and one of the nation's most historic sites, from demolition. Today, the Society utilizes the Old State House Museum, a research library, and a distinguished collection of artifacts, to provide learning opportunities for local citizens and visitors alike that reflect the cultural complexity of our city.
Bostonian Society