Authors to Discuss New Books on Hot Springs, Ark.—America’s Forgotten Capital of Vice—and on Eleanor Roosevelt, Malcolm X, and Claire Messud— with Her Own Autobiography

All Talks Are Free – Online Registration Is Open

The following announcement was written by American Ancestors | New England Historic Genealogical Society:

October 1, 2020—Boston, Massachusetts—Beginning on Thursday, October 1, at 6:00 p.m., American Ancestors and NEHGS, often in collaboration with some of Boston’s leading cultural institutions, will present a number of virtual conversations between acclaimed authors and historians featuring new works that focus on impor- tant figures and events in American history and in family history. To serve and inspire the Boston community—and curious readers Everywhere—in this unprecedented at-home time, the American Inspiration series continues in a virtual format during the fall season. Furthering its mission to engage, inspire, and connect, the roster of celebrated authors and their new books will be presented free online. American Inspiration often works in partnership with the Boston Public Library, GBH Forum, the State Library of Massachusetts, and other cultural organizations around Boston.

Interested individuals may sign-up for the American Inspiration series e-news at AmericanAncestors.org/Inspire to stay in the know about upcoming author events. Each virtual program is broadcast live. Many are produced and recorded by the GBH Forum Network (as Zoom Video Conferencing “webinars,” with funding from the Lowell Institute). All author event videos are later published on the series website for the enrichment of the community on the series website.

Upcoming programs in October and November in this acclaimed series are:

• David Hill with The Vapors: A Southern Family, the New York Mob, and the Rise and Fall of Hot Springs, America’s Forgotten Capital of Vice — Thursday, October 1, at 6:00 pm EDT Moderator: Scott Steward, Editor in Chief, American Ancestors | NEHGS Registration: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_S-ixnBUTQTWyFT4KRVUr-w
• David Michaelis with Eleanor (Roosevelt) — Thursday, October 8, at 6:00 pm EDT Moderators: Beth Carroll-Horrocks, Head of Special Collections at the State Library of Massachusetts, and Margaret M. Talcott, Producer of the American Inspiration series. Registration: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/eleanor/register
• Claire Messud with Kant’s Little Prussian Head and Other Reasons Why I Write: An Autobiography in Essays — Tuesday, October 20, at 6:00 pm EDT Moderator: Dani Shapiro, novelist and memoirist Registration: https://wgbh.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_w1sp55HQSQGkNAmRNTxjzw -More- 2.
• Tamara Payne with The Dead are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X — Thursday, November 5, at 6:00 pm EST Moderator: L’Merchie Frazier, Director of Education and Interpretation, Museum of African American History Registration: https://wgbh.zoom.us/webinar/register/7016009800026/WN_D-a-PNyaSwqFRE5zIif3Fw
• Nathaniel Philbrick, the Boston Public Library’s Baxter Lecture on Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community and War — Thursday, November 12, at 6:00 pm EST Moderator: Ryan J. Woods, EVP and COO of American Ancestors | NEHGS For registration, sign-up to be alerted at https://hubs.americanancestors.org/american-inspiration-interest

More information about the series and authors is available on the websites of the presenting organizations including American Ancestors│NEHGS, and co-presenters and producers WGBH Forum Network, and the Boston Public Library.

About the American Inspiration Authors Series by American Ancestors│NEHGS 
American Inspiration presents best-selling authors and their books exploring themes of personal identity, families and immigration, and social and cultural history. The series, launched in Fall 2019, introduced audiences to celebrated writers through a discussion of their latest works in our historic rotunda in Back Bay, Boston. To serve and inspire our audiences—and curious readers everywhere—in this unprecedented at-home time, we have partnered with the Boston Public Library, the GBH Forum, the State Library of Massachusetts, and other cultural organizations around Boston to present a virtual author series following the themes of our on-site series. More at AmericanAncestors.org/inspire.

American Ancestors|New England Historic Genealogical Society serves as the nation’s collective memory for family history. Founded in 1845, we are the country’s oldest genealogical organization and the most respected name in the field. We bring together a broad and diverse audience seeking to understand the past by educating, inspiring, and connecting people through our scholarship, programs, collections, and expertise. Headquartered on Newbury Street in Boston, Mass., we are the research library, online resource, and nonprofit organization behind these two new author series. More at AmericanAncestors.org.