Deep down, I think we all know that history matters. Yet for many of us, the way we learned it in school made it feel distant and inaccessible. It was out of context — abstract, detached from real people and real lives. But when we recall a story from the past centered on an individual, something shifts. Suddenly, we're interested. The details stop feeling like a "history lesson" and become a human story — something that happened to someone. We lean in, curious, engaged, wanting to know more. Paula Richter, curator of the Salem Witch Trials 1692 exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museum, brings that human element to life. She not only personalizes the experiences of both the accusers and the accused, but also models a powerful way of thinking: that learning new perspectives matters. Evaluating information through a fresh lens can broaden our understanding and reshape our views. Recognizing that every story is influenced by countless factors — circumstances, relationships, and individual choices — helps us feel more connected to one another and to reality itself. By exploring the Salem Witch Trials more deeply, I've come to realize that we're learning about far more than the late 1600s in what would become the United States. Gaining a clearer sense of what life was like then, how events unfolded, and how people responded in the aftermath reminds me that nothing is ever purely black and white. Living in the gray gives me more space for compassion, curiosity, and acceptance. Make no mistake: this episode focuses on the facts of the Salem Witch Trials as they're currently understood. There was no intention to make it about anything else. Yet what I took away from this conversation — and from this entire series — has truly shaped me into a better version of myself. Listen in as Paula helps us uncover more about the individuals at the heart of the Salem Witch Trials — the accused, the accusers, the murdered, their neighbors, ministers, and government officials. They were all real people, and we talk about all of them. We also explore how we know so much about this period, and how our understanding of history continues to evolve as historians discover more and technology advances. Listen in now!
