Visitors to the Kingston Council on Aging are often asked what kinds of programs they would like to have held there. History has been a common theme recently.
Visitors to the Kingston Council on Aging are often asked what kinds of programs they would like to have held there. History has been a common theme recently.
Many people have asked for a series like “Why History Matters” after hearing a lot of positives and negatives during this year’s election process. The series intends to explain what South Shore history means to those who live here.
Director of Elder Affairs Tammy Murray loves local history. With people asking for a program like it, she said she thought this would be a great time to do it.
The third and fourth events in the five-part series on South Shore History presented by the Kingston COA and Plymouth 400 that starts Wednesday, Jan. 18, are about the Constitution of the United States and immigration, with references to South Shore history and how people have been affected by federal history.
“Why History Matters” comes at a time when a primary piece of history will be 400 years old, with Plymouth at the very core of it all. Immigrants came here to start a new life, and they are still coming to America to start a new life.
It’s a partnership Plymouth 400 Inc. Executive Director Michele Pecoraro welcomes. She said the wonderful team at the Kingston COA developed the series and its content, and she worked with the COA’s Marilyn Greenstein to suggest speakers and topics.
“We are thrilled that we’ll be able to close the series and tie all these pieces of history, and their significance, together,” she said.
Why History Matters schedule
n Jan. 18 – Back Roads of the South Shore Part I with the Alden Kindred of America and Duxbury Rural Historical Society, and reflections on the the town of Kingston.
n Jan. 25 – Back Roads of the South Shore Part II with the Hingham, Scituate and Marshfield historical societies.
n Feb. 8 – “The Constitution” with author/historian John Galluzzo.
n Feb. 22 – “Immigration” with Walter Powell, Society of Mayflower Descendants.
n March 15 – The Plymouth 400 anniversary will highlight cultural contributions and American traditions with a story that significantly shaped the building of America that began with the Wampanoag and English people. Plymouth 400 Executive Director Michele Pecoraro will speak. Discussion will include the importance of this moment in our nation’s history and plans for the global commemoration.
She said the regional event is a way for her not-for-profit organization to connect with the many communities within the boundaries of the original Plymouth Colony, which spanned from present-day Provincetown to Hull and Rhode Island. She said many people don’t realize that 2020 represents the 400th anniversary of the founding of Plymouth Colony.
Pecoraro said Plymouth 400′s relationship with Kingston began with discussions about the town’s role in the 2020 Commemoration, which led to the formation of the Kingston 400 Committee.
“Kingston’s participation is part of a coalition of municipal partnerships that are vital to the success of this anniversary,” she said, “both in the historical context and in the sense that Kingston’s lodging, restaurants, transportation, and other resources will be sought out by the influx of visitors to this area in 2020.”
She said it’s important for Plymouth 400 as the organization leading the events and programs of 2020 partners with groups like the Kingston Council on Aging to include all communities that were part of Plymouth Colony.
“We understand that in order to produce a commemoration that will appropriately and successfully honor this iconic moment in our nation’s history, we need many minds, many views, and many resources,” Pecoraro said. “We know that this is a narrative which requires many voices in order to be told in a way that is historically accurate and culturally inclusive.”
She said it’s about “creating a network of individuals, organizations, businesses, and communities who are passionate about this history and bringing them together to collectively produce a commemoration that will make our community, our Commonwealth, and our country proud.”
Speakers will not only talk about what happened to individuals long ago, but also about how history is part of the fabric of our daily lives and why it still matters today. Discussions will include how history lays the groundwork for strong, resilient communities and the importance of our historical societies. Each event will feature a question and answer session.
The events take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays at the Kingston Council on Aging, 30 Evergreen Street in Kingston. The doors open at 6:15 p.m. There is no cost.
Follow Kathryn Gallerani on Twitter @kgallreporter.
