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Conversations on the Commons: 400 Years and Beyond
October 23, 2020 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
400 Years and Beyond: Commemorating historic events in the twenty-first century
October 23, 2020, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
A Conversation with Linda Coombs, board member of Plymouth 400 and chair of the Wampanoag Advisory Committee, Desiree Mobed, Director at the Alden House Historic Site, and Michelle Pecoraro, Executive Director of Plymouth 400
After 400 years of colonization of Massachusetts by Europeans, we enter a period of town anniversaries. How can we use them as an occasion to start addressing that “settlement” in Massachusetts also meant “displacement”, the beginning of attenuated conflict, and the “disappearing” of Native American presence and history, often in plain sight? As some leading organizations change their identities to be more inclusive, how are you approaching these events in your own towns and institutions? Do you have celebrations coming up? What can we do to bring residents together and start telling these complex stories? Are you working on this? Are you wondering how to move forward, and thinking about how to mark significant anniversaries without celebrating conflict and dispossession? Bring your questions, observations, and experiences, as well as your obstacles and successes in reframing narratives and using your collections in a new way.
The conversation will be moderated by Gloria Greis, Executive Director at the Needham History Center & Museum. Registration is free.
This Conversation will be livestreamed. We will do our best to monitor your questions and comments during the livestream. A recording will be publicly available in the Conversations on the Commons Archive.
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- Linda Coombs’ background is in museum work, focusing on history, analysis of historical and Native American representation in museums. I have worked at the Boston Children’s Museum, Wampanoag Indigenous Program of Plimoth Plantation, and the Aquinnah Cultural Center. I also consult with museums, and provide public presentations and workshops on Wampanoag and Native history and culture.
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- Desiree Mobed has been the executive director of the Alden House Historic Site since 2016. Before going to Duxbury, she served as the museum director for the Harwich Historical Society on Cape Cod, the museum administrator for the Nathan Hale Homestead in Connecticut, and as a museum educator for several historic sites around the country.
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- Michele Pecoraro brings 25+ years of leadership experience to the helm of Plymouth 400, Inc. Michele’s education and business background, knowledge of tourism and connections with industry leaders and legislators have helped her increase awareness and engagement for Plymouth 400 regionally, nationally, and internationally. Much has changed since joining Plymouth 400 in Spring 2014. In the throes of a pandemic, Michele led the Plymouth 400 team in transforming the work accomplished over seven years into virtual programs reaching thousands. Ms. Pecoraro is the architect of Massachusetts 400, a concept to sustain the momentum of the Plymouth Colony commemoration for 10 years as MA communities reach significant anniversaries. Formerly, Ms. Pecoraro worked at the Cape Cod Chamber for seven years as the Vice President of Operations and International engagement.
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- Gloria Polizzotti Greis been Executive Director of the Needham History Center & Museum since June 2002. She has worked in museums since 1985. She has also taught both Anthropology and Museums Studies at the college level, and had experience teaching in a museum setting with high school and elementary school classes. Dr Greis is a Needham resident. She holds a PhD in Anthropology, specializing in the archaeology of prehistoric Europe. She is the author of two books on archaeology; a book and three films on local history; several articles on history, archaeology and various other topics; and writes a weekly local history blog. She is Chair of the Needham Historical Commission, sits on several municipal committees and nonprofit boards, and is an elected Fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society.
Questions? Be in touch with Caroline Littlewood: commons@masshistoryalliance.org
Conversations on the Commons
Where people from Massachusetts history organizations get to vent, empathize, laugh, complain, think, collaborate, brainstorm, plan, and in general be up to no good.