The MHS Publishes
The Massachusetts Historical Society has maintained its own publishing program since 1792 and hosts the Adams Papers Editorial Project.
Recent & Popular Publications
Fashioning the New England Family
Written by Kimberly S. Alexander. Foreword by Anne E. Bentley
Based on the exhibition of the same name presented at the Massachusetts Historical Society from October 2018 to April 2019, this companion volume features over one hundred full-color photographs of garments, textiles, and accessories, many of which had never been displayed for the public or seen in living memory. Read more about Fashioning the New England Family.
The Papers of Robert Treat Paine, Volume 4:1778-1786
Edited by Edward W. Hanson
The fourth volume of this series encompasses Robert Treat Paine’s time as Massachusetts Attorney General. The documents in this volume highlight the quest for order in a nation gripped by violence and upheaval. Paine dedicated himself to reforming and enforcing the laws.
Read more about Robert Treat Paine.
The Future of History
Based on the Future of History workshop convened at the MHS in September 2016, this volume presents 14 short opinion pieces, all by workshop participants, that provide a broad overview of current challenges and opportunities--and where our engagement with those might take us in the coming years.
You can download a digital edition or order a print copy here.
The Winthrop Papers
This Winthrop Papers Digital Edition presents the digitized content of the previously published volumes from the Winthrop Papers documentary edition, a publication of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers now have online access to the contents of volumes 1 through 4, comprising annotated transcriptions of Winthrop document composed primarily in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Charles Francis Adams, Sr.: The Civil War Diaries (Unverified Transcriptions)
This digital edition provides early access to Charles Francis Adams’s diaries from January 1861 through April 1865 as he served as minister to the Court of St. James’s—a post held in previous decades by his father and grandfather.
Previously published Adams Papers volumes, fully edited and annotated, appear here: Adams Papers Digital Edition.
The Private Jefferson: Perspectives from the Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society
With essays by Peter S. Onuf, Andrea Wulf, and Henry Adams
One of U.S. history’s most eminent figures, Thomas Jefferson is as elusive as he is revered. The Private Jefferson opens a window onto the third president’s inner life by digging into the single largest cache of Thomas Jefferson’s private papers, held at the Massachusetts Historical Society. Generously illustrated with over 100 full-color reproductions of architectural drawings, letters, and other manuscripts.
Read more about The Private Jefferson.
224 pages, 137 color illustrations
Distributed by the University of Virginia Press
$35 Paperback (2016) ISBN: 978-1-936520-09-1
$60.00 Hardcover (2016) ISBN: 978-1-936520-08-4
Letters and Photographs from the Battle Country: The World War I Memoir of Margaret Hall
Edited by Margaret R. Higonnet with Susan Solomon
In August 1918, a Massachusetts-born woman named Margaret Hall boarded a transport ship in New York City that would take her across the Atlantic to work with the American Red Cross in France, just then gripped in devastating and seemingly interminable conflict with Germany. The year she spent near the Western Front was eye opening; careful not to let her experience slip away like a strange dream, she captured it in rich detail in a series of letters, journals, and nearly 300 photographs that she would weave into a powerful narrative when she returned stateside. That narrative, a manuscript in the collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, is now published for the first time.
Read more about Letters and Photographs from the Battle Country.
256 pages, 83 b&w illustrations
Distributed by the University of Virginia Press.
$35 Paperback (2014) ISBN: 978-1-936520-07-7
The Cabinetmaker & the Carver
By Gerald W. R. Ward. Foreword by Dennis Fiori.
The Cabinetmaker and the Carver provides an opportunity to see a carefully selected group of significant examples of Boston furniture representing the trajectory of the city's great tradition of furniture making. Presented in close to 100 full-color illustrations, these objects illustrate many of the local characteristics that distinguish Boston work from that of other cities; they also open a window on Bostonians’ tastes and preferences. Created by many of the city’s most talented cabinetmakers, carvers, turners, and other craftsmen, nearly all of this furniture is drawn from distinguished local collections, providing a rare public glimpse of these privately held treasures.
Read more about The Cabinetmaker and the Carver.
64 pages, 80 color illustrations
Distributed by the University of Virginia Press
$30 Paperback (2013) ISBN: 978-1-936520-06-0
In Death Lamented: The Tradition of Anglo-American Mourning Jewelry
By Sarah Nehama. Prefaces by Sarah Nehama and Anne E. Bentley.
A compendium developed to accompany and record the exhibition of the same title, In Death Lamented: The Tradition of Anglo-American Mourning Jewelry features full-color photographs of prime examples of rings, bracelets, brooches, and other pieces of mourning jewelry from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. The catalog, like the exhibition at the MHS, showcases the materials in the Society’s collection and that of Sarah Nehama, a jeweler and private collector who co-curated the event at the MHS. These elegant and evocative objects are presented in context, including written explanations of the history, use, and meaning of the jewelry, as well as related pieces of material culture, such as broadsides, photographs, portraits, funeral medals, and trade cards. The jewelry included will illustrate some of the most exemplary types, from early gold bands with death’s head iconography to jeweled brooches and intricately woven hairwork pieces of the Civil War era. Read more.
128 pages, 110 color illustrations
Distributed by the University of Virginia Press
$35 Paperback (2012) ISBN: 978-1-936520-03-9
Thomas Jefferson's Granddaughter in Queen Victoria's England: The Travel Diary of Ellen Wayles Coolidge, 1838-1839
By Ellen Wayles Coolidge. Edited by Ann Lucas Birle and Lisa A. Francavilla
Ellen Wayles Coolidge arrived in London in June 1838 at the advent of Queen Victoria's reign—the citizens were still celebrating the coronation. During her nine-month stay, Coolidge kept a diary that reveals the uncommon education of her youth, when she lived and studied at Monticello with her grandfather Thomas Jefferson. This volume brings the full text of her diary to publication for the first time, opening up her text for today's readers with carefully researched annotations that provide the historical context. Read more
464 pages, 22 color and 13 b&w illustrations and 2 maps
Distributed by the University of Virginia Press
$45.00 Hardcover (2011) ISBN: 978-1-936520-02-2
Adams Papers Digital Edition
The Adams Papers Digital Edition provides free online access to dozens of volumes published by the Adams Papers Editorial Project. This digital edition includes all text of the historical documents, all editorial text, and a single consolidated index.
The Adams Papers at the Massachusetts Historical Society
Text by Judith S. Graham, Margaret A. Hogan, Ondine Le Blanc, Gregg L. Lint, and C. James Taylor
With full-color illustrations on almost every page, this volume showcases Adams-related manuscripts from the collections at the Massachusetts Historical Society. The selections are grouped in four chapters—including one on John and Abigail's famous correspondence and another highlighting John's contributions to the Revolution—and each chapter provides short explanations of historical context. Read more
42 pages, 75 color illustrations
[Ordering information here: e-mail or order form?]
$20.00 Paperback (2008) ISBN: 978-0-934909-92-1
The Education of Henry Adams: A Centennial Version
By Henry Adams. Edited by Edward Chalfant and Conrad Edick Wright
Both a winner of the Pulitzer Prize and at the head of the Modern Library's list of the 100 best English-language nonfiction books of the 20th century, The Education of Henry Adams has long been revered as a great work of literature. With The Education of Henry Adams: A Centennial Version, editors Edward Chalfant and Conrad Edick Wright have at long last returned this celebrated book to the author's vision. Read more
542 pages
Distributed by the University of Virginia Press
$34.95 Hardcover (2007) ISBN: 978-0-934909-91-4
$19.95 Paperback (2008) ISBN: 978-0-934909-93-8
We Fight for Freedom: Massachusetts, African Americans & the Civil War
By Donald Yacovone, with a foreword by James O. Horton
This excellent introduction to the contribution of African Americans to the Union effort also showcases remarkable visual materials from African American history in general. The book highlights the efforts of the Massachusetts 54th Infantry Regiment—the regiment featured in the film Glory—by drawing on a rich collection of relevant papers and unique photographs in the Society's archives.
36 pages, 56 illustrations
$10.00 Paperback (2022, 2nd rev. ed.) ISBN: 978-0-934909-66-2
To order, please email pubstaff@sheet-china.net. (A $2.50 shipping & handling fee will be added to all mailed orders.)
Works Published by the MHS
Massachusetts Historical Review
The Society’s annual journal, featuring scholarship about Massachusetts history.
Published Collections
Books built on the collections of the MHS, including two long-standing series: Collections of the MHS and Winthrop Papers. These volumes present the content of the Society's holdings with gold-standard transcriptions and helpful annotations.
Sibley's Harvard Graduates
A key reference source for biographical information about the students who attended Harvard College in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Printed Catalogs & Pictorial Essays
Useful resources presenting information about different kinds of collections--print and visual arts--held by the MHS.
Biographies & Other Monographs
Paperback and hardcover publications illuminating selected topics related to MHS collections, prepared by subject-matter specialists in the field.
Essay Collections
Essay anthologies presenting a selection of critical perspectives on topics central to the study of American history.
Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society
The precursor to the MHR, featuring scholarly essays, facsimiles of items from MHS collections, and reports from the Society's meetings (1860-1997).
To Order
While most of the Society’s publications can be found for sale at any online bookseller, and many are distributed by the University of Virginia Press, others have to be ordered directly from the MHS, as indicated by the listing for each title. For more information on items available only through the MHS, please send an inquiry to the Publications Department.
To Submit a Proposal
Please view the Society's publications policy and proposal guidelines before sending in a submission. Proposals will be evaluated by the MHS Publications Department and Publications Committee. Contact the Publications Department with any questions.
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- A letter of support from your school principal or department head
- A sample lesson plan or classroom activity that you have developed. It may be on any topic and does not have to be the same as the subject of your application or even a history lesson.
For questions about accessibility and availability of collections related to your topic, prospective applicants are encouraged to contact Library Reader Services via email or virtual chat. For questions about your proposal and research questions, please email MHS Education Staff.
The fellowship process is competitive. Awards will be made on the strength of 1) proposed topic of research; 2) how this research will address an area of need in the applicant’s teaching 3) the plan for using MHS collections; 4) usability of the proposed research in other classrooms; 5) recommendations; 6) the sample classroom materials.
Please direct questions to education@sheet-china.net.
Kass Teacher Fellowship
Is there a historical topic or period that you’ve always wanted to explore in greater depth? Are you facing gaps in your knowledge or curriculum that you want to address? Are you ready to dive into the archives and see what you discover?
The Kass Teacher Fellowship program offers K-12 educators the chance to focus on pure research and archival exploration by conducting 20 days of research at the MHS on a topic of their choice. The fellowship carries a stipend of $3,000 for four weeks of research during the summer and a final report on your findings. We are looking for applications from K-12 teachers seeking to do historical research that will fill a knowledge gap or address a need in their curriculum.
We will be awarding one Kass Fellowship for the summer/fall 2024 season.
Kass Fellowship Description
During the summer and fall, Kass fellows will complete a total of 20 days of research both on and off-site on the topic of their choice using MHS collections, and will produce a final report and bibliography of their research findings. This deliverable is due on January 15th, 2025, and materials from these projects may be incorporated into MHS online educator resources and on our MHS Beehive Blog, with credit to teacher fellows who created them.
Kass Fellow will meet regularly for virtual mentorship sessions with our Education department for support in brainstorming, finding resources, focusing research questions, and developing the final report. Fellows will also work with research librarians at the MHS to help them find sources to support their research. Kass Fellows set their own pace for their research: some fellows prefer to condense their research time to several weeks, while others spread out their research visits over the course of the summer and fall. Applicants may also be eligible for virtual fellowships if the majority of the materials they are interested in studying are already digitized.
The Kass Teacher Fellow will receive a $3,000 stipend for their work at the MHS. The first half of their stipend will be distributed after attending our virtual orientation in June, and the second half after receipt of their final report.
Who should apply?
Applications are welcome from any K-12 teacher or library media specialist who wishes to use the collections at the MHS to prepare primary-source resource sets in the fields of American history, world history, civics, English language arts, or other relevant subject areas. Applicants are welcome from any U.S. states and territories, and must be currently teaching or working in an education setting during the 2022-2023 year. Prior experience performing archival research is not required.
What is the deliverable for this fellowship?
After completing the 20 days of research, the Kass fellow will be asked to produce a bibliography with highlights from their research (at least 15 items/folders/collections) and a final 4-page or 2,500 word report on their research process and findings. The tone of this report is informal, and fellows should be prepared to discuss the following prompts:
- What topics and materials did you explore?
- How did your research questions change over the course of your fellowship?
- What were some of the most interesting or surprising materials you found during your research? What materials would be most interesting to your students?
- How will your research and the sources you found influence your teaching going forward?
- What should other teachers know if they apply for a research fellowship at MHS? What were some of the highlights and lowlights of the research program?
Both deliverables must be completed and submitted by January 15th, 2025. Sections of the final report will also be shared with the MHS Education community on our MHS Beehive Blog. Fellows also retain use of their project materials and may post and share their report elsewhere with credit to the Massachusetts Historical Society Kass Fellowship.
How do I apply?
Submit your application via our online application form by midnight on March 14th, 2024. You can apply to both the Swensrud and Kass Fellowship in the same application if you wish.
We will be holding a fellowship info session on February 7th, 2024 at 5 PM (register here). You can watch the recording of last year's info session here (Passcode: =&v0%pFJ).
Applicants should prepare to provide the following materials:
- A current resume
- A letter of intent (no longer than two pages, single spaced) that identifies a content knowledge gap or address an area of need in your curriculum that you hope to address through your research. Your letter must answer the following questions:
- What excites you about this area of research? What are some questions you have about the topic that you hope your research will answer?
- Talk about the specific needs of your students. How will this research support the specific needs of your classroom teaching and your own students?
- Describe your teaching philosophy around using primary sources in the classroom. What are some successes and challenges you've experienced?
- A list of 3-5 MHS collections, exhibits, or specific items from the MHS archives that you are interested in exploring as part of your research. We recommend exploring our website, our collection guides, the History Source curricular resource portal, and our online collections.
- A letter of support from your school principal or department head
- A sample lesson plan or classroom activity that you have developed. It may be on any topic and does not have to be the same as the subject of your application or even a history lesson.
For questions about accessibility and availability of collections related to your topic, prospective applicants are encouraged to contact Library Reader Services via email or virtual chat. For questions about your proposal and research questions, please email MHS Education Staff.
The fellowship process is competitive. Awards will be made on the strength of 1) proposed topic of research; 2) how this research will address an area of need in the applicant’s teaching 3) plan for using MHS materials 4) recommendations; 5) the sample classroom materials.
Please direct questions to education@sheet-china.net.
John Winthrop Student Fellowship
Do you have a burning question about history that you’re not learning about in school? Do you want to learn what it’s like to be a historian? Are you interested in getting hands-on with old documents and artifacts?
The John Winthrop Student Fellowship award encourages students in grades 9-12 to use documents and artifacts at the MHS in a research project of their choice and with the support of a teacher advisor. Student fellow(s) and their teacher will each receive a $1,000 stipend to complete their research project. We are looking from applications from students who are excited to learn about a topic in history and a desire to explore primary sources.
The MHS will offer one fellowship to an individual student or a group of up to five students and their teacher advisor during the summer of 2024.
John Winthrop Student Fellowship Description
The student fellow(s) and their teacher advisor will attend a virtual orientation at the end of May to kick off their fellowship. Over the course of the next two months, the student fellow will explore documents and artifacts in the MHS collections related to their research topic. Students can explore items in the MHS Reading Room, where they will work directly with original documents and artifacts, and also explore digital materials from our online collections and our virtual primary source sets.
Students and teacher mentors will meet regularly for virtual mentorship sessions with our Education department for support in brainstorming, finding and analyzing resources, focusing research questions, and developing their final project. Student fellows will also work with research librarians at the MHS to help them find sources to support their research. Each student fellow and their teacher advisor will receive a $1,000 stipend for their participation in the fellowship. The first half of their stipend will be distributed after attending our virtual orientation in May, and the second half after completing their final project and reflection.
Who should apply?
You do not have to be a history buff–we are looking for a passion for asking questions and learning, not grades! High school students from any U.S. states and territories are welcome to apply for the John Winthrop Student Fellowship. Students must be heading into grades 9-12 in the fall of 2024. If students plan to complete the fellowship remotely, their area of research must be related to materials already digitized on the MHS website. To explore options, check out our website, our collection guides, the History Source curricular resource portal, and our online collections.
What is the final project?
Over the course of the fellowship, the student fellow(s) will complete a project to share highlights of their research over the course of their fellowship. They will also either write a 1 page reflection about their experience and what they’ve learned or complete a virtual interview with the MHS Education department. Quotes from this final reflection will be featured on the MHS Beehive Blog.
During the fellowship, students will work with their teacher mentor and MHS advisor to determine the type of research project they would like to complete. Each project must include analysis of at least 4 primary sources from their research at the MHS. This can be a project already assigned for school, or an independent project of the student’s design.
Examples of potential projects might include:
- A blog post
- A web page or website
- A podcast outline, script, or recording
- A slideshow presentation
- An essay (minimum 4 pages)
- A zine
- A documentary or video
- An interview with MHS staff on the topic of their research
These are just a few ideas–the possibilities are endless!
The project and student reflection are due by July 31th, 2024. While neither will be graded, the teacher-advisor must approve of the completion of the project according to the fellowship rubric.
How do I apply?
Submit your application via our online application form by midnight on March 14 2024. We will be holding a fellowship info session on February 7th, 2024 at 6 PM (register here).You can watch the recording of last year's info session here (Passcode: 3MkZ%rM%).
Applicants should provide the following materials:
- A proposal of no more than 500 words that explains the following:
- What is the topic that you want to research and why are you interested in it?
- What questions do you have about your topic that you want to investigate?
- A list of 3-5 MHS collections, exhibits, or specific items from the MHS archives that you are interested in exploring as part of your research. We recommend exploring our website, our collection guides, the History Source curricular resource portal, and our online collections.
- A recommendation letter from your teacher-advisor for the fellowship project
For questions about accessibility and availability of collections related to your topic, prospective applicants are encouraged to contact Library Reader Services via email or virtual chat. For questions about your proposal and research questions, please email MHS Education Staff.
Our 2023 Fellowship Recipients
We are proud to announce our 2023 Teacher and Student Fellowship Winners:
Swensrud Teacher Fellowship:
Sydney Slayer, Lyons Township HS, Lyons IL
Matt Weiss, Verde Valley HS, Sedona AZ
Kass Teacher Fellowship:
Michael M. Khorshidianzadeh, Victor School, Acton MA
John Winthrop Student Fellowship:
Sahai Virk, Milford High School, Milford MA
Congratulations to our 2023 Teacher and Student fellows, and we look forward to learning from your research at the MHS this year!
