Probing the Archives with historian Beth Bower
Hosted by Atlantic Black Box
Thursday, December 16, 2021 at 5:00 pm ET
Register here
In December of 1790, the Selectmen of Salem, Massachusetts directed the town constable to notify or “warn” a list of 103 Black Salem households that if they were not “lawful” inhabitants of Salem they must depart within 15 days. The original manuscript of the Constable’s report back to the selectmen provides information on the noticed individuals, their families, and their places of origin.
This presentation will include a comparison of the purpose and content of the 1790 census and warning documents; their value to reconstructing individual biographies, family histories and community; and under-used archival resources.
On Monday, December 20 at 5:00 pm ET, Beth Bower will be the featured guest at ABB’s monthly Research Forum, a collaborative learning platform open to all members of ABB. At these informal sessions, scholars and citizen historians share information about their research methods, identify useful sources, describe obstacles encountered, and outline best practices. Become an ABB member today! Members, mark your calendars and expect a zoom link ahead of the event.
