J. L. BELL is a Massachusetts writer who specializes in (among other things) the start of the American Revolution in and around Boston. He is particularly interested in the experiences of children in 1765-75. He has published scholarly papers and popular articles for both children and adults. He was consultant for an episode of History Detectives, and contributed to a display at Minute Man National Historic Park.

Subscribe thru Follow.it





•••••••••••••••••



Monday, June 03, 2013

Two Events Down, Two to Go

This morning I’m at my third historical event in four days, and each has been in a different city.

The first was my Friday talk on Capt. Thomas Kempton’s powder horn at the Society of the Cincinnati’s Anderson House museum in Washington, D.C. While there I also took advantage of their library to do some reading on Henry Knox and William (“Lord Stirling”) Alexander.

On Saturday, I traveled to Philadelphia and caught the end of the “American Revolution Reborn” conference, which took place at the American Philosophical Society. I may have more to say about that event, but for now you can sample it through Eventifier.

Now I’m listening to the opening remarks at the 2013 Mass History Conference at Holy Cross College in Worcester. In the early afternoon I’ll be on a panel titled “Working with Revered Figures: Having Your Myth and Busting It, Too,” with Jayne Gordon of the Massachusetts Historical Society and Nina Zannieri of the Paul Revere House.

The keynote speaker at this event is Ray Raphael, who will also give a free talk tomorrow at the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston (and I plan to be there, too). Ray’s lecture will be titled “What ‘The Federalist Papers’ Are Not”:

When and why did The Federalist become The Federalist Papers? What role did the essays play in the ratification debates? Can Publius be considered an authoritative source for interpreting specific sections of the Constitution—or for discovering its inner meaning?
Come on by! I’ll be the person in the audience trying to figure out which city I’m in.

No comments: