Past Events

Massachusetts soil holds two stories. One is celebrated every July 4th. The other, older, bloodier, and deliberately buried, is the one we need to understand first.

One hundred years before the American Revolution, King Philip’s War engulfed the Indigenous nations of southern New England, Wampanoag, Nipmuc, Narragansett and others, in one of the deadliest conflicts in North American history relative to population. When it ended, the colonial winners didn’t just claim the land, they also claimed the story. A narrative of inevitable destiny, of brave but doomed resistance, of a continent naturally passing from one civilization to the next. A story designed to be mourned, not questioned.

But what happens when you question it? In Wampanoag country, the war’s end was total: leaders killed, survivors enslaved. Or was it? What did colonists find when they arrived, and what did they dismantle? What was lost that we still don’t fully understand? The Indian wars didn’t end in New England; they migrated westward with the expanding nation. Was the logic of dispossession already present in the Pilgrims’ earliest encounters with the First Nations? Does Mary Rowlandson’s celebrated captivity narrative tell us as much about the making of American racial and gender identity as it does about war?

Hosted by journalist Phillip Martin, this conversation features Indigenous panelists from local tribal communities and asks what it means that we still carry this story, and what it costs us that we’ve never fully told the other one.

The GBH BPL studio will host 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.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.

As Massachusetts prepares to honor the city’s vibrant heritage, join us for a special look into the history, culture, and communities that define Boston.

From immersive storytelling experiences to dynamic cultural gatherings, we explore a statewide celebration featuring over 250 cultural organizations across the Commonwealth. Tune in as we honor the people, places, and diverse voices that have shaped—and continue to shape—our incredible city.

Guests:

Bryon Rushing 
Historian
Former MA State Representative  

Edmund Barry Gaither, PhD
Executive Director Emeritus
Museum of the National Center of Afro-AmericanArtists

Nerissa Williams
CEO & Lead Producer, That Child Got Talent Entertainment
Executive Producer, Echoes of Liberty

Kyera Singleton, PhD
Executive Director
Royall House and Slave Quarters

GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond. The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.

Join NOVA at Aeronaut Brewing Company on Monday, June 8th for a night of NOVA science trivia! Get ready for creative categories that test your knowledge of science, from the depths of the universe to the history of science and more!

Join Jimmy Hills and social impact entrepreneurs Anthony and Errin Davis, CEO and COO of The Davis System, for a timely conversation on today's political landscape and its impact on marginalized communities. Drawing from their extensive experience working on successful political campaigns and helping shape local and national programs and policies, Anthony, Errin, and Jimmy will explore how government decisions affect everyday lives. Together, they'll examine politics through both a national and local lens, offering real-world insights on policy, power, advocacy, and community impact.

Guests:

Anthony Davis
CEO, The Davis System

Errin Davis
COO, The Davis System

GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond. The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.

Saxophonist Greg Abate will close out GBH Music and JazzBoston’s 2026 JazzNOW series with a tribute to Ray Charles. Abate first met the legendary soul singer at age 23, and after hearing him play, Charles invited Abate to tour the world as the lead alto saxophonist in his orchestra. The program will feature some of Ray Charles’ most recognizable songs like “Georgia on My Mind” and “Hit the Road Jack” as well as some of the singer’s popular renditions of Beatles tunes like “The Long and Winding Road.” The performance will also feature some Greg Abate originals drawing from his deep BeBop roots. Abate will be joined by Tim Ray (piano), Marty Ballou (bass), and Gary Johnson (drums). The concert takes place at 8 pm in Fraser Performance Studio with a pre-concert reception at 7:15pm. Paris Alston, of GBH News Rooted, will host the performance, which will be filmed for broadcast on GBH2. This event is made possible by the Goldstein Family Fund.

7:15-7:50pm Pre-event reception
7:50pm Guest are seated in Fraser Performance Studio (general admission)
8:00-9:00pm Live performance in Fraser Performance Studio

This event is presented with support from our sponsor, the Goldstein Family Fund.

This event is presented with support from our sponsor, Newport Mansions.



This event is presented with support from our sponsor, M. Steinert & Sons.

The Midnight Train is arriving at GBH, and you won’t want to miss it!

If you’re like Dolly Parton, Jodi Picoult, Emma Roberts, and the millions of other readers who loved The Midnight Library, be sure to join us for this special opportunity to hear from Matt Haig as he discusses his newest novel, writing process, and so much more. Matt Haig is an internationally bestselling author whose work has been translated into more than fifty languages.

His latest release, The Midnight Train, is his newest magical, time-travelling love story from the world of The Midnight Library.

If you are unable to attend in person, your book can be shipped following the event.
ABOUT THE MIDNIGHT TRAIN

When your life flashes before your eyes, where would you stop?

No one can change the past, but the Midnight Train can take you there. The chance to re-live the moments that meant most. To see what kind of person you really were.

For Wilbur his best days were with Maggie, the love of his life. On his honeymoon in Venice.

Before he gave it all away.

He wishes he could go back and live differently. But to do so risks everything...

A magical, time-travelling love story, from the world of The Midnight Library.

U.S. foreign policy is undergoing a period of recalibration, prompting renewed debate over how to balance domestic priorities with international engagement. As Washington redefines its global role, what are the implications for the future of transatlantic relations? How might shifting approaches to security, trade, and multilateral cooperation reshape ties between the United States and Europe—and where do opportunities for renewed alignment lie?

This program brings together Ambassador (ret.) Mark Libby, WorldBoston Ambassador-in-Residence, and Ruth Bajada, Deputy Chief of Mission of the European Union to the United States, for a timely and nuanced discussion. Bajada currently serves in Washington in a leading EU diplomatic role, while Libby previously held the parallel position as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Mission to the EU. This shared perspective—shaped from opposite sides of the same relationship—offers a rare combination of credibility, candor, and personal rapport as they explore how both sides of the Atlantic can navigate emerging challenges while sustaining one of the world’s most consequential partnerships.

Presented by GBH Music and JazzBoston, our final GBH Jazz Night of the season features jazz fusion trumpeter Tiger Okoshi for a Miles Davis tribute concert in honor of Davis’s 100th birthday on May 26th.

GBH Jazz Nights showcase the incredible range of jazz talent in the Greater Boston area. The series is co-hosted by JazzBoston and GBH Music, taking place on the second Thursday of every month from September through May. Tickets are free, but registration is encouraged. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis, so arrive early! By registering, you agree to receive email communications from GBH Music.

GBH Jazz Nights are made possible by the Goldstein Family Fund.

Join host Tracy Chang for a high-energy conversation with the team behind the Refugee Food Festival and Refugee Supper Club. We’re diving into the incredible story of Natalia Durnieva, a Ukrainian powerhouse who has reinvented herself as everything from a sushi chef to a licensed construction supervisor while building BloomBridge to help fellow refugees bypass low-skilled labor. It’s a conversation about grit, entrepreneurship, and the "magnifique" cakes Natalia bakes along the way. Plus, get the scoop on the upcoming Refugee Food Festival on June 20th, where you can taste authentic flavors from Somalia, Haiti, Ukraine, and beyond!
GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond!

Guests:

Natalia Durnieva, Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Center



Jonny Zackman, Refugee Supper Club



David Lander, Refugee Supper Club


The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.