In this episode, we’re exploring a set of items related to the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the first African American regiment raised in the North during the American Civil War. We’ll learn about the once lost sword of Robert Gould Shaw, and also look beyond this famous artifact at the ordinary men who served in the 54th.

In this episode, we’re looking at the papers and artifacts of Nora Saltonstall, an adventurous young American who volunteered with the Red Cross in France during the First World War.  As a driver for a mobile hospital unit, Nora transported supplies and taxied wounded soldiers across the war front.

In this episode, we are looking at the story of Elizabeth Freeman, a woman born into slavery in the 18th century who successfully sued for her freedom and helped bring about the end of slavery in Massachusetts. We’ll take a close look at a miniature portrait of Freeman, a gold bead bracelet that once belonged to her, and a brief biography of Freeman, written by Catherine Maria Sedgewick.

In this episode, we are examining a few 20th century political campaign objects from the remarkable, but little known career of Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. We’ll look at an undelivered speech drafted for Senator Joseph McCarthy, an unusual pair of campaign mugs, and a peculiar bronzed hot dog paperweight.

Join us Oct 4 for The Object of History - a podcast produced by the Massachusetts Historical Society. The extraordinary collections of the MHS tell the story of America through millions of rare and unique documents, artifacts, and irreplaceable national treasures. Each episode of the podcast takes you on a behind the scenes tour of that vast collection.