Past Events

The GBH studio at the BPL is hosting Outspoken Saturdays, a spoken word poetry event for emerging artists. Every first Saturday of the month, the series will be created in collaboration with spoken word artist Amanda Shea. Join us!

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

What was love like in New England during Colonial America? The surviving letters between John and Abigail Adams reveal the unconditional love they had for each other, but they also divulge long periods of separation, scandals and personal tragedies during their 54-year old romance. This true story for the ages that proves that love conquers all.

GBH is joined by Sara Martin, the editor-in-chief of The Adams Papers at the Massachusetts Historical Society to discuss this swoon-worthy love story.

Since it was established in 1954, The Adams Papers has published letterpress volumes of the diaries, letters and other writings of the Adams family of Massachusetts. Recently, they published two letterpress series, Adams Family Correspondence and the Papers of John Adams, and two digital editions, the Adams Papers Digital Edition and the John Quincy Adams Digital Diary.

Sara participates in a number of outreach activities at the MHS, including educational workshops and public lectures on the Adams family and the craft of historical editing.

Her previous experience in public history includes partnerships with archaeologists and cultural heritage managers and work with local historical societies and community groups on public engagement projects and in-house exhibit development.

This event is hosted and moderated by Associate Producer of GBH News' Art & Culture, Haley Lerner.

This event is presented in partnership with Massachusetts Historical Society.

photo credit: portraits by Benjamin Blyth, ca. 1766


In partnership with:

The Charles River Museum hosts EWB-USA CEO Boris Martin, Former EWB-USA Board President Dr. Chris Lombardo, and EWB-USA volunteers from across the New England area for a forward-moving Mill Talk on community engineering. Expect to be regaled with stories of impact, engaged in reflection on engineers’ and educators’ calling, and moved toward action to build a better world.

This special gathering features two main projects about reckoning and repair that have been developed at GBH : the WORLD's new film, The Cost of Inheritance: An America ReFramed Special and the upcoming GBH News-produced podcast, "What Is Owed?".

Directed by the acclaimed Yoruba Richen, the World's one hour-long documentary delves into the intricate topic of reparations in the United States. It navigates through history's complexities, systemic inequalities and the burgeoning conversation on racial conciliation. With its blend of personal stories, communal reflections, and academic perspectives, the film not only enlightens but also sparks a deeper understanding of the reparations debate. In this video, director Yoruba Richen and subjects from the film, Randy Quarterman and Sarah Eisner, engage in a thought-provoking panel discussion. This is a unique opportunity to gain insight into the creative process and the crucial themes explored in the documentary.

Viewers also get an exclusive sneak peek (or listen) of the upcoming GBH News-produced podcast, "What is Owed?" This seven-part podcast, reported by GBH News political reporter Saraya Wintersmith, ventures into the heart of Boston's reckoning with its history of slavery and economic exclusion. Wintersmith seeks to understand what reparations might look like in one of the oldest cities in America, uncovering the lessons for a successful reparations framework through the stories of its architects, past and present.

Watch The World's documentary here

Born and raised a Boston native with classical, opera, R&B and inspirational background, Janeé Evans was inspired by listening to various eras and genres of music. The eras and genres also include Motown, Neosoul, gospel , soft rock, house and many more. Her musical background began in the church and was further motivated through her studies at The Boston Conservatory of music (The Handel and Hayden Society) where she gained exposure to classical and opera music. She began discovering her ability as a songwriter through poetry at age 6. It was at this same age she learned to play piano which ventured her discovery to songwriting. She began recording music in 1999 and worked closely with a funk band as one of the leading ladies (E Water Band). Funk and soul are also elements of her embodiment. Her mentors include: Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, Mahalia Jackson, Fred Hammond, Luciano Pavoratti, Missy Elliot, Pharrel Williams, Nina Simone, Janelle Monae, Chrisette Michelle, Alicia Keys, Lauryn Hill, Whitney Houston, Tribe Called Quest, Jill Scott, Amel Larrieaux and so many more! Her Focus is relaying a story or journey if you will on life, love, laughter, tears and mistakes but no regrets. As a writer she is speaking to you with lyrical wisdom, because she is a survivor of many things and her lyrics portray her journey.

Collaborations include Patti LaBelle, James Taylor The Boston Symphony Orchestra and various local artists in Massachusetts area. She also has freelanced among a few Boston local bands after the E Water Band including The New England Dreamgirls and Nyte Check. She is hoping to work with almost any musician that would like to restore our generations through the music and lyrics. It is also her disposition to bring therapy to those who may relate to the music and heal so they may simply live.

Roya Hakakian is an Iranian-American writer, journalist, and public speaker. Her opinion columns, essays, and book reviews appear in leading English language publications including The New York Times, The New York Review of Books and The Atlantic. A founding member of the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, she has spoken on a variety of news outlets, from CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS to MSNBC, as well as in Washington D.C. for the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee and the State Department with U.S. Secretary Antony Blinken. Her latest book A Beginner’s Guide to America: For the Immigrant and the Curious has been called a contemporary Tocquevlllian account by The Wall Street Journal and The Boston Globe.
She is a recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship among many other prizes and has been called one of “the most important activists, academics and journalists of her generation.”

Cosponsored by the Boston College International Studies Program, Islamic Civilization and Societies Program, and with the support of an ILA Major Grant.

American Experience presents a virtual PAST FORWARD conversation exploring whether the First Amendment and its near absolute protection of free speech makes Americans more vulnerable to political extremism. This conversation is inspired by our new film  Nazi Town, USA.

Panelists will discuss the contours of the First Amendment's free speech protections, and the extent to which they have been used to permit public hate speech and other extremist beliefs, contrasting these legal precedents with those of other Western countries. They will also consider if and how the First Amendment has been adapted to modern digital communication, through which radical thought can spread more widely and quickly than ever before. The panel will reflect on whether speech itself or other factors are responsible for the growing acceptance of social and political sentiments that were once considered extreme.

Panelists:

Dr. Mary Anne Franks is the Eugene L. and Barbara A. Bernard Professor in Intellectual Property, Technology, and Civil Rights Law at George Washington Law School and the President and Legislative & Tech Policy Director of the nonprofit organization Cyber Civil Rights Initiative. Her areas of expertise include First and Second Amendment law, criminal law, family law, and the intersection of civil rights and technology. She is the author of the award-winning book, The Cult of the Constitution: Our Deadly Devotion to Guns and Free Speech (Stanford Press, 2019). Her second book, Fearless Speech (Bold Type Books) will be published later this year.

Steven J. Ross is Distinguished Professor of History and Director of the University of Southern California’s Casden Institute for the Study of the Jewish Role in American Life. His recent book, Hitler in Los Angeles: How Jews Foiled Nazi Plots Against Hollywood and America was named a Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History for 2018 and has been on the Los Angeles Times Bestseller List for 23 weeks.

The discussion will be moderated by Adriane Lentz-Smith. Lentz-Smith is an Associate Professor of History at Duke University, where she teaches courses on the Civil Rights Movement, Black Lives, Modern America, and History in Fact and Fiction. A scholar of African American history as well as the histories of the twentieth-century United States and the US & the World, Lentz Smith is the author of Freedom Struggles: African Americans and World War I (Harvard University Press, 2009), as well as numerous other scholarly articles and reviews.

This event will be livestreamed on our Facebook and YouTube pages.

Cambridge Forum digs into the underbelly of the typical American diet, an astounding 60% of which is made up of ultraprocessed foods – like cereals, breads, yoghurts and frozen dinners plus sweets and soda. There is mounting scientific evidence that UPFs are not just potentially addictive but also linked to our rocketing rates of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. We know that food can be either medicine or toxin; so how do we recognize “junk” food and make better eating choices?

We examine the links between diet and disease, zoning in on the addictive alchemy of certain combinations that make up HPF (hyper-palatable foods) which are irresistible to our taste buds. We ask three experts in the field for their advice. Jerry Manda, CEO of Nourish Science and Adjunct Professor of Nutrition at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, Tera Fazzino, Assistant Professor or Psychology and Associate Director of the Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment at the University of Kansas, and Larissa Zimberoff, freelance journalist who covers the intersection of food, technology and business, and also the author of "Technically Food: Inside Silicon Valley's Mission to Change What We Eat".

Join the discussion about who is responsible for the food environment we find ourselves in and whether the FDA should do more to regulate the labelling of highly addictive foodstuffs with health warnings.

"The most important right we have is the right to be responsible" by Gerald Amos is the opening quote of Patagonia's latest book, The Future of the Responsible Company. While we are used to companies claiming to be sustainable, this book gives us a deep dive into the Patagonia's more humble and honest goal of being responsible to people and ecosystems while making a living. It is a fascinating story that charts a possible path for any business, large or small.
Join Bio4Climate as we focus on the growing awareness of whole systems impacts from soil regeneration, water usage and empowering local factories and businesses to treat employees better.

The Future of the Responsible Company is a short book with gorgeous photography and we encourage you to read the book or learn a bit about Patagonia at their website before the talk. Topics include: Life Cycle Analysis, circular economy, regenerative agriculture, B Corps and what it means to have "earth as a shareholder"

It is easy to vilify globalization and corporate America, but what would happen if the vast resources of the world economy turned towards eco restoration, fair trade and uplifting labor practices? Is it even possible? Come and judge for yourself. Join us January 29th to get a glimpse inside Patagonia's journey and to ask your questions of Mr. Stanley.

Sunday, January 28th, 2024

8:00 AM — Quarterfinal #4: TBD vs. TBD
LINK TO TICKET

10:00 AM — Semifinal #1: TBD vs. TBD
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12:45 PM — Semifinal #2: TBD vs. TBD
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2:30 PM — CHAMPIONSHIP: TBD vs. TBD
LINK TO TICKET

A GBH live event that’s fun for the whole family. Join our televised audience and take a peek behind-the-scenes!

High School Quiz Show®, GBH’s fast-paced, award-winning competition for teams of high school students in Massachusetts is celebrating its 15th Season and we want to mark the occasion with you!

Please note:

• This event is free to the public.
• Seating is limited; please RSVP as soon as possible.
• Audience members must be at least 7 years old; all minors must be accompanied by an adult.
• Registration does not guarantee seating in the studio audience (overflow will be seated in an adjacent theater featuring a live feed of the taping). Seating is first come, first serve and audiences will be seated according to production needs.
• We appreciate advance notice of any special accommodations by emailing us at highschoolquizshow@wgbh.org.

Major funding for High School Quiz Show is provided by Safety Insurance. Additional funding is provided by the Museum of Science, Massachusetts Teachers Association, Xfinity, UMass Amherst, Peabody Essex Museum and Subaru of New England.

High School Quiz Show is endorsed by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education and the Massachusetts PTA.