December 16-17, 2023: A Tribute to BostonStudiers

[Thiscoming weekend marks the 250thanniversary of one of the most significant events in Colonial America, the Boston Tea Party. So thisweek I’ve AmericanStudied a handful of layers to that important moment, leadingup to this special weekend tribute to some of the many BostonStudiers from whomI’ve learned a great deal!]

On ahandful of the many BostonStudiers from whom I’ve learned a lot and we shouldall keep learning more, for this commemoration and beyond.

1)     TheTea Merchant: I have to start this tribute post with a voice who has focusedon collective memories and stories of the Boston Tea Party. Economic and authorLeena Bhatagar’s historicalnovel links that event to others in London and Calcutta, and like allhistorical fiction blends imagined characters and storytelling with thehistories and contexts. But Leena’s November webinar for theBoston Tea Party Ships organization makes clear that she has historicalanalysis to contribute alongside the novel’s storytelling, and all of thatmakes her a voice well worth including in this weekend post.

2)     J.L.Bell: If Leena is an authority on the specific occasion for this week’sblog series, J.L. Bell is to my mind the unquestioned expert on its broadcontexts: all things Bostonand New England in and around the Revolutionary era. He’s also been writinga public scholarly blog on blogspot (the first hyperlink above) for even longerthan me, and is thus a model for all of us out here in the blogging game. Ifyou don’t believe me, just check out his morethan 200 posts with the “Boston Tea Party” tag!

3)     BenEdwards: One of the best ways to learn about history in Boston is to walkit, as I argued for example in my SaturdayEvening Post Considering History columnon the Black Heritage Trail (a vital complement to the city’s more famousFreedom Trail). And one of the best ways to do that is in the company of Walking Boston founder and tour guide(and children’s book author!)Ben Edwards. Now get out there and retrace the route from the Old South MeetingHouse to the Harbor!

4)     NathanielSheidley: I first met Nat Sheidely when our kids were in preschooltogether, longer ago than I care to remember. At that time he was professinghistory at Wellesley College, but in the years since he’s become an integralfigure in the Boston public history scene through his role as the President andCEO of Revolutionary Spaces.This weekend they’re hosting a 250thanniversary commemoration of the Tea Party, which reflects how much they’reinterconnected with my topics throughout the week. But there’s a lot more toboth the organization and its President, and I look forward to continuing tolearn from both of them!

5)     MHS Folks:Speaking of learning, I don’t think there’s any community in Boston from whom I’velearned as much as the Massachusetts Historical Society. (Full disclosure: I’vealso beenhonored to give twobook talks through MHS.) There are lots of layers to that community andthat learning, but it boils down to phenomenal folks like SaraGeorgini, Kanisorn“Kid” Wongsrichanalai, PeterDrummey, and many many more. Can’t pay tribute to BostonStudiers withouthighlighting my MHS peeps!

Nextseries starts Monday,

Ben

PS. Whatdo you think? BostonStudiers you’d highlight, or Tea Party takes you’d share?