Martha’s Vineyard History is a fast-paced, eight-week tour of life on the Island from the Ice Age to the Digital Age. Designed to appeal to newcomers and long-time residents alike, it offers a fresh look at familiar stories (the coming of the Mayhews, the whaling industry, and the making of Jaws) and an introduction to others (the Vineyard’s place in the larger “Atlantic World,” turn-of-the-(last)-century immigration, and the Island’s long history of grassroots political activism). A central theme of the course will be the often-unexpected ways in which past events have shaped the present, and continue to define our discussions of the future. Each class will be a mixture of lecture, discussion, and interactions with materials–object, images, documents, and oral histories–from the Museum’s collections.
The main readings for the class will be supplied electronically, and Arthur R. Railton’s History of Martha’s Vineyard (2006) — available in the Museum Shop — will serve as an (optional, supplementary) “textbook” for those interested in more in-depth reading.
Classes run Feb. 4, 11, and 18. March 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31. (No class during February school vacation week).
Pre-registration required.
Tuesday, February 4, 2020 at 6:30pm to 8:00pm
Martha's Vineyard Museum
151 Lagoon Pond Road, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568
$175 Museum Member; $200: Non-Member
508-627-4441
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