This is a virtual talk presented by Dr. William Hart of Middlebury College. Admission is $8, or free for members. To register as a non-member please visit schenectadyhistorical.org/tickets. To register as a member, simply email office@schenectadyhistorical.org and we will send you the link! Throughout the 18th century, a faction of baptized Haudenosaunee League Mohawks demanded that the English Crown supply them with priests, schoolmasters, and books so that they may join the imagined community of Church of England adherents. This reciprocity held larger implications beyond sharing a common faith; it also implied Mohawk alliance with England in matters political, economic, and cultural. English officials agreed to their requests, but made promises that they could not keep. Despite spotty efforts, the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts insisted that Mohawks become new Christians by accepting instruction from ordained Anglican priests and tutoring from pre-approved English-speaking teachers. However most baptized Mohawks knew best how to fulfill the needs of their souls: by contesting who preached to them and by dictating who should teach their children literacy and in what language. Drawing on his book, “For the Good of Their Souls”: Performing Christianity in Eighteenth-Century Mohawk Country (2020), Dr. Hart will contend that Mohawks were not mere compliant pawns in the missionizing project, but rather were pro-active partners with the English. My assertion encourages us to view Native peoples during the colonial period as effective power brokers in the realm of missionization and in other spheres of contact, as well. William Hart, Professor Emeritus of History at Middlebury College, earned his PhD in American Civilization at Brown University. At Middlebury, Bill taught a broad range of U.S., African American, and Atlantic-World history courses between 1993 and 2020. He has lectured and published widely on Black Americans and Native Americans during the Colonial and Early Republic eras. In August 2020, the University of Massachusetts Press published Bill’s book, ‘For the Good of their Souls’: Performing Christianity in Eighteenth-Century Mohawk Country. Bill is currently writing a biography of Alexander Twilight, the first person of color to receive a college degree from an American college – Middlebury – in 1823.

AMERICAN FOUNDERS reveals men and women of African descent as key protagonists in the story of American democracy. It chronicles how Black people developed and defended New World settlements, undermined slavery, and championed freedom throughout the Americas from the 16th through the 20th century. "American Founders" explores how Afro-Americans shaped every facet of American history; the multitude of events and mixed-race individuals included underscore the fact that black and white Americans share the same history, and in many cases, the same ancestry.  American Founders is meant to celebrate this shared heritage and strengthen these bonds. Author Christina Proenza-Coles, holds a dual doctorate in sociology and history from the New School for Social Research. She has been a lifelong student of American culture and history while living and working in Miami, New York, Havana, and Charlottesville. From 2004 to 2011 she was an Assistant Professor of the Atlantic World/African Diaspora at Virginia State University. This is a virtual talk presented on Zoom. Admission is $8, or free for members. To register as a non-member please visit schenectadyhistorical.org/tickets. Members do not need to register. A link for this program will be emailed to all Schenectady County Historical Society members the day of the virtual program.

You may have worn a Shaker stitch sweater, seen a piece of Shaker furniture, or heard the “Simple Gifts” song, but did you know that Albany was the site of America’s first Shaker settlement? Women played an important role in all aspects of this utopian, egalitarian society, serving as religious leaders, dealing with business matters, and shouldering responsibilities for running the everyday affairs.  In addition to working on the seed and herb businesses, the Sisters produced a variety of textiles and other items for the Shakers’ own needs and for sale to the World. Lorraine Weiss, Education Coordinator at the Shaker Heritage Society, will present a program on what “women’s work” meant for the Shaker sisters. As reflected in the journals, the Sisters’ craftsmanship evolved to respond to the changing economy and trends over the Shakers’ 162 years in Albany. This is an in-person talk presented at Mabee Farm Historic Site as part of our "Crafted in Schenectady: the Building of a Community" exhibition.  Admission is $10, or free for members. To register as a non-member please visit schenectadyhistorical.org/tickets. To register as a member, simply email office@schenectadyhistorical.org and we will add you to our list. Tickets also available the day of the program.