This program from May 27th, 2020 features QHS curator Alexandra Elliott speaking about the Historical Society’s research project into the 1918 Influenza Pandemic. She explores the timeline of events as the disease spread through Quincy in the fall of 1918, and the unique data set that we were able to compile from vital records and genealogical archives. This program was cohosted by the Thomas Crane Public Library.
Yellow Fever: The Plagues that Haunted America
This program from August 24th, 2020 features QHS executive director, Ed Fitzgerald, and curator, Alexandra Elliott presenting a multi-media look at the deadly disease of yellow fever and its profound impact on history and the American psyche — it is a story that links the likes of John Adams and Bette Davis. This program was cohosted by the Thomas Crane Public Library.
A Social History of Howard Johnson’s Ads — From Text to Print
In this program from October 6th, 2020, QHS curator, Alexandra Elliott and executive director, Ed Fitzgerald embark on a nostalgic look at the Quincy-based restaurant and motel chain that stretched “from Maine to Florida”. They explore what made the brand so successful, and highlight some of the iconic ad campaigns that sold the company’s chosen image to the American consumer. This program was cohosted by the Thomas Crane Public Library.
Remembering My Favorite Founder – From Strangely Used to the Usable John Adams
In this program from October 30th, 2023, guest speaker and author of “Remembering John Adams”, Professor Marianne Holdzkom of Kennesaw State University leads a lively discussion of John Adams’ place in history, historical memory, and popular culture — from a missing monument in Washington D.C. to Broadway and beyond.
Beyond Abigail: Notable Quincy Women & the Hunt to Tell Their Stories
In this program from March 21, 2024, QHS curator Alexandra Elliott, revisits and updates a 2021 program diving into women’s history in Quincy. Elliott shines a spotlight on other remarkable Quincy women beyond Abigail Adams, and outlines ongoing research into women’s history at the Historical Society.