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Revolutionary Spaces

**Revolutionary Spaces ** connects people to the history and continuing practice of democracy through the intertwined stories of two of the nation’s most iconic sites—Boston’s Old South Meeting House and Old State House. We foster a free and open exchange of ideas, explore history, create gathering places, and preserve and steward historic buildings.

https://www.bostonhistory.org

How a Harbor Barge Changed Pediatric Medicine

Wed, Jul 22, 2015

This is the remarkable story of Floating Hospital for Children, a Boston institution that became a pioneer in pediatric healthcare. The hospital began in 1894 as a ship commissioned to bring the city's poor, sick children out onto the harbor for fresh air and medical treatment. Throughout its impressive history, Floating Hospital made immeasurable contributions to the field of pediatrics (including the invention of infant formula) and eventually transitioned to its present-day brick-and-mortar building at Tufts Medical Center, which was designed like a ship in homage to the hospital's earliest days. Dan Bird, director of volunteers at Floating Hospital for Children and the driving force behind this new book from Union Park Press, will share highlights from this fascinating chapter in medical history.

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The Fife is Right: Literary Boston

Wed, Apr 1, 2015

Beantown bibliophiles unite! Whether your interest is Transcendental tales, American poetry, famed publishers, or the history of censorship that gave rise to the term “banned in Boston” – join us for an evening of spirited rivalry as you challenge your own knowledge of Boston’s literary past against two teams of local experts. In this fast-paced, live-action quiz show, the audience is part of the event, offering life-lines, voting on answers and more. This quiz show goes far beyond any trivia game, providing information with our answers so that you leave an expert! Contestants include: Barry DeVincke, Sharon Shaloo, Henry David Thoreau (portrayed by Richard Smith), L'Merchie Frazier, Louisa May Alcott (portrayed by Jan Turnquist), and Larry Lindner Quizmaster: Susan Wilson

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The Picture of Innocence: Symbols and Propaganda from the Boston Massacre

Fri, Mar 20, 2015

The Boston Massacre became infamous throughout the American Colonies in a matter of weeks. Patriot leaders immediately circulated the news with heavy doses of propaganda. So what really happened on March 5, 1770? What did it mean to colonists who gathered at Old South Meeting House for memorial services, or who read an account in their newspaper in Pennsylvania or Georgia? Historian and Old South Meeting House Educator **Tegan Kehoe** walks viewers through the facts and fictions of Paul Revere’s famous print and several other contemporary depictions of the “bloody massacre on King Street.”

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From Pewter to Pottery: The Archaeology of Boston's Colonial Craftspeople

Fri, Feb 6, 2015

What can archaeology teach us about the historical arts and crafts of our city? Learn from Boston City Archaeologist **Joseph Bagley**, who will offer an overview of the city’s archaeological collections as a rich source of data, then explore in depth what archaeological research has revealed about two mid-18th-century Boston professional craftspeople - Grace Parker, who had a redware ceramic business, and John Carnes, who ran a pewter workshop.

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Benjamin Franklin: Wordsmith, Printer

Fri, Jan 23, 2015

Historian of science and technology, **Robert Martello** will round out your knowledge of Boston native (and Old South Meeting House congregant) Benjamin Franklin in this lively, illustrated talk. Follow Franklin’s footsteps from the time he ran his brother’s press as a young apprentice, through the many life adventures that shaped his life as a wordsmith, statesman, and printer. Printing was a tricky business in the 18th century, and Franklin’s combination of business acumen and intellectual prowess contributed to his success and versatility in the trade. Learn how Franklin changed printing, and how printing changed Franklin.

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Freedom of Speech or the Tyranny of Silence?

Wed, Jan 21, 2015

Following the massacre of journalists at [Charlie Hebdo](http://charliehebdo.fr/en "Charlie Hebdo") in Paris, as well as the intimidation of Sony Pictures over ["The Interview,"](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Interview_%282014_film%29 "The Interview") and a growing climate of self-censorship, this panel opens up a conversation on the direction and future of free speech. The forum features three panelists followed by an open question and answer session with the audience. This event is produced by the Ayn Rand Institute and Ford Hall Forum as a Partners in Public Dialogue program with Old South Meeting House.

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Twisted Strands: Ropemaking in the Charlestown Navy Yard

Fri, Jan 9, 2015

Learn from an expert about some of the many ways that rope making connects with Boston history! Hear about how ropemaking was important to Boston sailors, learn about the Ropewalk Riots – which occurred a few days before the Boston Massacre. Boston National Historical Park Ranger **Dan Gagnon** leads the event and demonstrates several rope-tying techniques.

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Ebenezer Mackintosh, the Gangs of Boston, and Riot in the New World

Fri, Dec 12, 2014

Learn how Boston’s 18th-century gangs contributed to the city's well-organized riots and mob actions, from the Stamp Act Riots to the Boston Tea Party. Historian **Matthew Wilding** focuses on the life of well-known radical Patriot Ebenezer Mackintosh as he explores the theme of riot as political expression in colonial Boston.

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Karilyn Crockett: Filling in the Gaps - Youth Contributions to the Study of Our History

Thu, Mar 27, 2014

In 1995, ethnographic geographer Karilyn Crockett established MYTOWN, Inc.' the Multicultural Youth Tour Of What's Now, a Boston-based nonprofit which offered youth-led, historical walking tours in Boston neighborhoods. Inspired by the connection to place that she had experienced as a young Bostonian with family roots in West Virginia, Crockett partnered with Boston high school students to explore local archives and conduct oral histories, helping the students understand connections between the city's history and their own lives. In this illustrated talk, Crockett shares highlights from her work with youth and the insights that she has gained from these young historians which inform her work today.

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The Fife is Right: The 9th Annual Old South History Challenge

Wed, Apr 2, 2014

"A pitch-perfect evening of up-tempo trivia, harmonious history, all building up to a crescendo of laughs! Historian and quizmaster Susan Wilson and the Old South Meeting House staff challenge two teams of experts in a live-action game show exploring the musical history of our melodious city. From Beantown-bred singers to songs about the Hub and much more, this year's competition had feet tapping and brains stumped! This isn't your average pub trivia! Our game show provides all the background and information with our answers so that you leave an expert!"

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Revolutionary Spaces