The Past is Now: An Intertribal Panel on King Philip's War, Past and Present (Main/Virtual)
Is King Philip’s War really part of the past? Four Indigenous speakers tell us that it’s still deeply present.
People who are not Indigenous often think of Metacom’s Resistance – more commonly known as King Philip’s War – if they know of it - as part of a distant past. If we have read children’s stories of an idealized colonial life, or educated with traditional textbooks, we might think of the war as a single violent chapter in an otherwise quaint, albeit colorful, history, with colonial heroes bravely conquering their enemies.
Historical markers dotting the New England countryside, especially in Massachusetts, reinforce this idea: it was brutal, but the colonists emerged victorious, and in any event it was long ago – nothing to do with life today. For Indigenous communities, the past is not so easily left behind – and nor should it be for non-Indigenous people. We all live today with its aftermath. King Philip’s War continues to shape daily life, experience, and memory.
Panelists include:
Hartman Deetz, Mashpee Wampanoag
Brad Lopes, Aquinnah Wampanoag
Brittney Walley, Hassanamisco Nipmuc
Elizabeth Solomon, Massachusett at Ponkapoag, moderator
On the eve of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, this panel invites audiences to grapple with a foundational war of Indigenous resistance on its 350th anniversary - and to see that it is not past, but deeply present, for us all.
Dove of Peace: Art Treasures and History from the Cambridge-Yerevan Sister City Association (Main)
Join us as we celebrate the official acceptance of the Cambridge-Yerevan Sister City Association Records into the Cambridge Public Library’s Archives and Special Collections. Learn about the collection and three significant objects given by Yerevan to the city of Cambridge with guest speaker, Gary Lind-Sinanian, Collections Curator of the Armenian Museum of America. We’ll be treated to a selection of traditional Armenian music sung by a local student. A sampling of hors d’oeuvres and Eastern Armenian desserts will be served following the program.
The First President and the First People: Washington in the Native Northeast (Main/Virtual)
To mark the 250th anniversaries of the American Revolution and the founding of the United States, a coalition of local non-profits and government agencies will present Washington in American Memory, a seven-part speaker series.
Trace how diplomacy, collaboration, and conflict shaped the early republic through Washington’s relationships with Native people, featuring:
Colin Gordon Calloway, author of The Indian World of George Washington: The First President, the First Americans, and the Birth of the Nation and the John Kimball, Jr. 1943 Professor of History and Professor of Native American Studies at Dartmouth College
Kabl Wilkerson, enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation (Bourassa & Muller families; Bear Clan) and doctoral candidate in the History Department at Harvard University
CPL Presents: Shakespeare of Harlem: Exploring the Life and Legacy of Langston Hughes (Main)
In honor of Black History Month, join Opera on Tap Boston for Shakespeare of Harlem, a concert celebrating the life, work, and enduring influence of Langston Hughes. The program weaves Hughes’ poetry and prose with art songs by composers such as Margaret Bonds and Florence Price, alongside the voices of his contemporaries, including Georgia Douglas Johnson and Countee Cullen.
An ensemble of celebrated local actor-singers brings the text and music to life, illuminating the ideas, experiences, and cultural moments that shaped Hughes as a writer. The performance will be followed by a talkback, offering audiences a chance to discuss with the artists and the material in conversation.
Featuring:
Morgan Beckford, Soprano
Melynda Davis, Soprano
Todd McNeel, Baritone
Fred C. VanNess Jr., Tenor
Producers:
Nina Evelyn and Kathryn McKellar
Registration is not required but preferred.