Maine Historical Society - Programs Podcast Maine Historical Society

York Lo; Recorded February 1, 2024 - York Lo retraced the footsteps of Chinese in the New England area over the past two centuries —from the first known Chinese immigrant to the recent election of Michelle Wu as the first Asian and female mayor of Boston. Highlights of this talk included the story of the first known Chinese immigrant in the area and his connection to a famous painting at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, a racist incident in Boston Chinatown that later led to the biggest anti-American boycott in China, Chinese soldiers from the area who have served the country from the Civil War to WWII, and the story of the accidental politician who became the first Asian mayor in the Boston area (and it’s not Michelle Wu) and many more stories of triumphs and tribulations.

Seth Goldstein; Recorded February 22, 2024 - Historian Seth Goldstein discussed the economic ties between Maine and the luxury-producing plantations of the West Indies and explored the various commodities, such as lumber, draft animals, and salt cod, that Maine supplied to West Indian plantations. Concurrently, enslaved Africans in the Caribbean labored in horrific conditions to produce sugar, molasses, rum, and other goods that were consumed in Maine. Seth explained how the West Indies Trade was significant to the forced migration of enslaved Africans to Northern New England and how the West Indies Trade left a lasting mark on the city of Portland and the state of Maine.

Recorded March 27, 2024 - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was the most popular and successful poet of his day. Living in Cambridge, Massachusetts he was a member of the literati that made Boston the literary hub of the country; Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, James Russell Lowell, and John Greenleaf Whittier were all Longfellow friends or associates. But 20 miles west of Boston was a small town filled with its own poets, writers and philosophers. Concord, Massachusetts was home to not only Ralph Waldo Emerson, but Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and the Alcott family; they too all had a deep friendship or close association with Longfellow. Concord public historian Richard Smith explored the friendships between Longfellow and the Concord writers in this talk, sharing his opinions about their lives and writings.

Recorded May 2, 2024 - What's the big deal about rock and roll concerts in Maine? Back when there were just a handful of AM radio stations and only three TV channels, this small and remote state got way more than its share of live performances by big-name rock and roll musicians. When the rock and roll stars of the day were planning tours, southern Maine was on their map- sort of "off Broadway" stops before hitting the big cities on the east coast of the United States. This was a unique dynamic and a stroke of luck for young Mainers. In this talk, Ford Reiche took a closer look at this history, including what made these performances such noteworthy local events, the hometown concert promoters and radio personalities, the community performance venues, the record shops where event tickets were sold, and the local garage bands that often served as opening acts. Audio mixing by Kevin Schinstock/Groundswell Sound

Michael Hillard, Cynthia Isenhour, Stefano Tijerina; Recorded July 15, 2023 - A major story in United States history over the past 50 years has been the decline of industrial jobs. The accompanying rise of a "post-industrial" economy has looked different for various communities and regions. The 2023 Historian's Forum featured an interdisciplinary look at economic and labor history in Maine since 1973. In Part 3, Stefano Tijerina, Maine Historical Society's P.D. Merrill Research Fellow, discusses the globalized economy and its impact on local economies. Ian Saxine, Assistant Professor of History at Bridgewater State University, leads the speakers of the Historian's Forum in a discussion on Maine economic and labor history.

Michael Hillard, Cynthia Isenhour, Stefano Tijerina; Recorded July 15, 2023 - A major story in United States history over the past 50 years has been the decline of industrial jobs. The accompanying rise of a "post-industrial" economy has looked different for various communities and regions. The 2023 Historian’s Forum featured an interdisciplinary look at economic and labor history in Maine since 1973. In Part 2, Cynthia Isenhour, Professor of Anthropology and Climate Change at the University of Maine, discusses re-imaging what wealth and work will look like in the future. This is a three part recording.