Few people in American history have collected art on such a voracious scale as J.P. Morgan. But the famous Gilded Age banker didn't just buy in quantity, he also had a very sophisticated eye. Whether viewed as a robber baron or an enlightened philanthropist, Morgan's contribution toward making the United States a center of world class art collections is undeniable.

In this online lecture, Chief Genealogist David Allen Lambert will discuss how to research your colonial ancestors and determine if—and how—they may have served the cause of the American Revolution.

This illustrated talk will focus on the stories told by objects in the Concord Museum collection about the lead-up to April 19, 1775, and the epochal day itself. In the aggregate, these stories contribute forcefully to an understanding that the Revolution, the great turn from a monarchy to a republic, was already over well before the day the Revolutionary War began.

Presented by David Wood

Join the Jewish Heritage Center for an exclusive online program in which historian Dr. Jonathan Sarna and shoe designer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Stuart Weitzman will explore the vital role of the Massachusetts shoe industry in the Jewish immigrant experience of the 19th and 20th century. 

Featuring Stuart Weitzman in Conversation with Dr. Jonathan Sarna

Join the JHC for the first webinar in our three-part-series, as Historian in Residence Dr. Hannah Zaves-Greene explores the experiences of Boston’s turn-of-the-century immigrants through materials and harrowing stories from collections in the Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center archives. Learn how the U.S. government’s harsh public-charge laws targeted immigrants with disabilities, and discover how Jewish advocates, attorneys, and social workers fought these discriminatory policies.

When it comes to Colonial New England research, there is a gold mine of published resources to explore. As a group, early New Englanders are perhaps some of the most studied people on the planet! In this online lecture, Robert Battle, editor of the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, will discuss essential published resources for colonial research in the region.

Delve into a fresh perspective on North American history during the Antebellum period, as seen through the eyes of the renowned British statesman, the 14th Earl of Derby. The profound insights in his journals uncover new layers of complexity and nuance, inspiring a deeper appreciation for the past and its lasting impact on the present.

Presented by Caroline, Countess of Derby

Using documents from the JHC archives, JHC Historian in Residence Dr. Hannah Zaves-Greene will explore the histories of Boston’s Jewish hospitals, Beth Israel and Jewish Memorial. When they opened their doors in the 1910s and 20, the hospitals offered culturally sensitive care for Jewish patients, supported Yiddish-speaking and kosher immigrants, provided long-term care options for patients who could not afford private nursing facilities and lent a hand to those struggling during the Great Depression.

Whether your ancestors arrived at Jamestown, on the Mayflower, or came over in the years following, the majority of us with colonial ancestry hope to trace our family trees back to England. In this online lecture, Senior Genealogist Rhonda R. McClure will highlight key records and resources available to help you in your search—including published genealogies, compilations, indexes, websites, and more.