Maine Historical Society - Programs Podcast

Recorded June 10, 2021 - They came in waves on waves. They were in the background on the steel roads that snaked deep into the interior. While not being unnoticed, they were invisible. And before you knew it, Maine had a vibrant albeit small Black population. Hear Bob Greene as he describes the histories of the Black people of Maine whose lives and work have made Maine what it is today and have laid the foundations for the future of the Pine Tree state.

Recorded May 26, 2021 - In Life of a Klansman: A Family History with White Supremacy , Edward Ball returns to the subject of his classic, Slaves in the Family: the mechanisms of white supremacy in America , as understood through the lives of his own ancestors. This time, he tells the story of a warrior in the Ku Klux Klan, a carpenter in Louisiana who took up the cause of fanatical racism during the years after the Civil War. Ball, a descendant of this Klansman, paints a portrait of his family’s anti-black militant that is part history, part memoir rich in personal detail.

Recorded June 7, 2021 - Holding an integral place in Maine's community, the story of its early taverns and tea rooms is an important account of commerce and political and social life. From famed Revolutionary War incidents to Civil War generals, stagecoaches and the story of rum, the history of Maine's early taverns is captivating. The tea rooms of the early 1900s were just as interesting and important. They played a large role in the national tea movement, the temperance and suffrage movements, the promotion of women's independence, and they also symbolized Maine's culture and sophistication. Join local authors Kathy and Bill Kenny as they unveil the stories behind these historic places explored in their latest publication. Purchase the book from the MHS Store .

Recorded May 20, 2021 - Known to be a convener of conversations and debates, Dr. Eddie S. Glaude, Jr. takes care to engage fellow citizens of all ages and backgrounds – from young activists, to fellow academics, journalists and commentators, and followers on Twitter in dialogue about the direction of the nation. His scholarship is driven by a commitment to think carefully with others. In this talk Dr. Glaude explores the challenges our democracy faces, as well as the country’s complexities, vulnerabilities, and the opportunities for hope. Purchase his book

Recorded May 12, 2021 - Co-curators Anne Gass, Tilly Laskey, Darren Ranco, and Krystal Williams discuss topics covered in Maine Historical Society exhibition and initiative Begin Again: reckoning with intolerance in Maine . The panel reviews the structures of systemic racism and discrimination that have perpetuated inequity and intolerance in Maine for the past 500 years and talk about how they came together to explore and interpret Maine’s diverse and complicated history.

Recorded March 3, 2021 - This panel discussion explores Black History in Maine with panelists sharing their family's history and experience in Maine dating back to the 18th century. This program was a partnership between Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce, GPCOG, United Way of Greater Portland, the Portland Public Library, and the Maine Historical Society.

Recorded March 11, 2021 - Maine Historical Society Executive Director Steve Bromage leads a conversation with award-winning author and journalist Colin Woodard and our Executive Director Steve Bromage as they look back on Maine’s commemoration of the Bicentennial and the profound ways in which history shapes the state and its people today. Purchase Union - The Struggle to Forge the Story of United States Nationhood from our MHS Store.

Hosted by Steve Bromage and in partnership with the University of Maine Alumni Association; Recorded April 12, 2021 - On April 12, 1979, Ronald F. Banks, University of Maine professor and author of Maine Becomes a State: The Movement to Separate Maine from Massachusetts , was shot and killed outside the Hyatt Regency Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana. Sixteen-year-old Isaac Knapper was arrested, tried as an adult, and wrongly convicted of the murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, Angola. In 1992, Isaac's conviction was overturned and in 2015 he met Dr. Bank’s daughter, Amy. It was an emotional meeting, and in the years since Isaac and Amy have maintained a strong friendship and healing connection and have worked to educate people about the impact that wrongful convictions can have on both the wrongfully convicted and the family of murdered victims. Their book, Fighting Time , will be available in the Fall of 2021. This discussion hosted by MHS Executive Director Steve Bromage with Isaac and Amy explores their story, their friendship, their work, and where Maine fits in the national dialogue of confronting systemic racism and justice. Hosted in partnership with the University of Maine Alumni Association.

Recorded April 8, 2021 - First published in 1840, the poem The Village Blacksmith by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow describes a craftsman, his work, his daily life, and the role he plays in his community. In the more than 100 years since its publication, the poem has inspired readers, musicians, and filmmakers alike. This book by John Babin is the first in a series that introduces Longfellow's poetry to a new audience of young readers. Learn the story of the poet's inspiration that led him to not only write this timeless classic, but also From My Arm-Chair , a poem written to the children of Cambridge, Massachusetts in gratitude for their gift of a chair. The chair was made from the spreading chestnut tree that sheltered the blacksmith shop referenced in the poem. Purchase the book from the MHS Store.

Recorded November 19, 2020 - In this recording a panel of experts discuss the topics covered Maine Historical Society's exhibit REDACT: Obscuring the Maine Constitution. The panel examined the redaction of Maine's 1820 Constitution in 1875 and the ramifications that ceasing to print sections 1, 2, and 5 of Article 10 had upon Wabanaki communities and public lands. Panel Moderator: Darren Ranco (Penobscot) - Associate Professor of Anthropology and Chair of Native American Programs at University of Maine, exhibit co-curator. Panelists: Dr. Catherine M. Burns – exhibit co-curator; Michael-Corey F. Hinton (Passamaquoddy)–attorney; Donna Loring (Penobscot)–tribal elder and author; Sherri Mitchell (Penobscot)–attorney, author, and educator.