Amherst Historical Society and Museum

History Begins at Home

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    • History Bites- Lunchtime Lecture Series
    • Upcoming Events
      • The History of Teddy Bears – Lunchtime Lecture
      • Mabel Loomis Todd’s Amherst – A Motorbus Excursion
      • From smallest tap and die to largest machine: The Museum of Industrial History- Lunchtime Lecture
      • Amherst, 1839- Amherst Arts Night Plus
      • Grand Concert! An Evening of the Music of Jenny Lind
      • The Bran-Bread Philosopher: Sylvester Graham and the Science of Human Life – Lunchtime Lecture
      • Peace, Love, and Groove Party- An Evening of 1960s Fun
    • Past History Bites Video Archive
    • Past Events
      • Monuments as History Lunchtime Lecture
      • South Amherst UCC – Lunchtime Lecture
      • The Protein War: Dorothy Wrinch and the Scientific Controversy of the 1930s – Lunchtime Lecture
      • Founder’s Day Celebration 2018
      • Amherst Historical Society Annual Ski and Winter Gear Sale
      • Ski and Winter Gear Consignment
      • Amherst Arts Night Plus Holiday AHS Holiday Celebration
      • 2017 House Tour
      • “I Expect Great Pleasure” – The Music of Jane Austen
      • 2017 Garden Tour
      • Music Selected by Jane Austen
      • Flax: from Plant to Thread
      • Lunchtime Lecture Series
        • ‘History Bites’ – Lunchtime Lecture Series – Janis Gray
        • ‘History Bites’- Lunchtime Lecture Series- Karen Sánchez-Eppler
        • ‘History Bites’ – Lunchtime Lecture Series – Carlton Brose
        • ‘History Bites’ – Lunchtime Lecture Series – Henry Lyman
        • ‘History Bites’ – Lunchtime Lecture Series – Dr George Greenstein
        • ‘History Bites’ – Lunchtime Lecture Series – Jade Mace
        • ‘History Bites’ – Lunchtime Lecture Series – ‘Chick’ Chickering
        • ‘History Bites’ – Lunchtime Lecture Series – Susan Ashman
        • ‘History Bites’ – Lunchtime Lecture Series – George Naughton
        • ‘History Bites’ Lunchtime Lecture Series – Richard Cairn
        • ‘History Bites’ – Lunchtime Lecture Series – Susan Snively
        • ‘History Bites’ – Lunchtime Lecture Series – Kitty Florey
        • ‘History Bites’ – Lunchtime Lecture Series – Tom Weiner
        • ‘History Bites’ – Lunchtime Lecture Series – Peter Thomas
        • “History Bites” – Lunchtime Lecture Series – Robert Cox
        • “History Bites” Lunchtime Lecture Series – The Little Red Schoolhouse
        • “History Bites” – Lunchtime Lecture Series – Steve Strimer
        • ‘History Bites’ – Lunchtime Lecture Series – Gregory Wilson
        • ‘History Bites’ – Lunchtime Lecture Series – Bonnie Isman
        • ‘History Bites’ – Lunchtime Lecture Series – Ken Samonds
        • “History Bites” Lunchtime Lecture Series- Rebecca Fricke, Sally Dillon & Flo Rosenstock
        • “History Bites” Lunchtime Lecture Series- Tim Barker
        • “History Bites” Lunchtime Lecture Series- Ann Tweedy
        • “History Bites” Lunchtime Lecture Series – Rachel Mustin
        • “History Bites” Lunchtime Lecture Series – Steve Strimer
        • “History Bites” – Lunchtime Lecture Series – William Flynt
        • “History Bites” Lunchtime Lecture Series- Ann Lanning
        • “History Bites” Lunchtime Lecture Series- Cheryl Harned
        • “History Bites” Lunctime Lecture Series- Patricia Holland and Elaine Barker
        • “History Bites” Lunchtime Lecture Series- Rob Cox
        • Ronald Story – “Jonathan Edwards and the Gospel of Love” Lunchtime Lecture
        • “History Bites” Lunchtime Lecture Series – Barbara Krauthamer
        • “History Bites” Lunctime Lecture Series- Cliff McCarthy
        • “History Bites” Lunchtime Lecture Series- Elizabeth Peirce
        • “History Bites” Lunchtime Lecture Series- Jackie Tuthill
        • “History Bites” Lunchtime Lecture Series- Bob Romer
        • “History Bites” Lunchtime Lecture Series – Bill Gillen
        • “History Bites” Lunchtime Lecture Series–Else Hambleton
        • Rob Cox: Cranberry Culture
        • Looking Backward: A Visual History of Immigration to the United States
        • ‘History Bites’ – Lunchtime Lecture Series – Bob Tuthill
      • Founders Day Celebration 2016
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      • Got Milk?
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“Beyond Shiny, Happy History: Why Censoring the Past is a Bad Idea” – Lunchtime Lecture

“Beyond Shiny, Happy History: Why Censoring the Past is a Bad Idea.” 
Monuments as History
by Robert E. Weir, Ph.D.
Friday, March 23 12:15pm

The English novelist L. P. Hartley famously quipped, “The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.” This begs the question of why so many contemporary Americans seek to remake it for their own purposes. They do so at both their own peril and the risk that they might inadvertently so alter the past as to make it unrecognizable. Professor Weir will argue in favor of the uncomfortable, even when it unsettles, even disgusts.  His talk will focus largely on interpretations of the Civil War and of local debates with the goal in mind of fostering productive dialogues rather that creating competing monologues.

History Bites is a series of thirty minute lectures to inform and entertain, covering various aspects of the history of Amherst and the lives of those who once lived here.

Bring your lunch, and we provide coffee, tea and cider for you as you listen to the presentations. The programs begin promptly at 12:15 with seating and beverages ready just before noon. The lectures are free and everyone is welcome to attend.

About the Speaker

Robert E. Weir, Ph.D. is the author of seven books of American labor and social history, numerous articles, and countless reviews. He recently retired from teaching in the history department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He has also taught at Smith College, Bay Path College, Mt. Holyoke College, and Community College of Vermont. He remains an active scholar and is currently working on a book on Western Massachusetts. He is also a freelance writer, a blogger, the executive secretary of the Northeast Popular/American Culture Association, and is active in the Northampton Historical Society. And he much prefers to be called “Rob,” rather than any old stuffy academic title!

Strong House

The museum is CLOSED for the winter season.  We reopen in May. Call 413.256.0678 for more information or email info@amhersthistory.org.  You can check out our events calendar for upcoming programs.

Find out more about the museum.

Thanks!

The Amherst Historical Society would like to thank our Sponsors

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Amherst A to Z

Want to know where Amherst’s Cold War bunker is located? Or where the “curragh” district of Amherst was? Or learn about a local factory that made “collapsing skirts!”

Amherst A to ZThese are all entries under the letter “C” in the book Amherst A to Z, written by Elizabeth Sharpe. The book is illustrated with pictures of artifacts from the Amherst History Museum, historic images from the Jones Library’s Special Collections, as well as photographs of our town and the folks who live here. Read more and buy the book!

Support Us

The Amherst History Museum accepts donations of any size at any time of the year. We hold our Annual Appeal in late November and renew all memberships in the Spring. A gift to the Amherst History Museum, whether in memory of a loved one or in honor of a special accomplishment, is always a unique way to help the Amherst Community and recognize an extraordinary individual.

Become a member today! Read more. . .
Amherst Historical Society

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