Editorial Statement

ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY years ago, the Massachusetts Historical Society began publishing its Proceedings. In a different era and for a select few, that publication served as an engaging record of the activities and the learned lectures of an august group. But the writing of history and this institution have unalterably changed since the nineteenth century. From a professional historian's point of view and from the perspective of the everyday reader, history never has been more inclusive, imaginative, or democratic. The social and cultural history now written is rich in the texture of the lived experiences of all peoples.
New times call for a new approach. The M.H.S. has ended its fabled Proceedings and will now publish an annual journal to disseminate some of the new history—and traditional narratives—to everyone with an interest in American history. The editors of this journal are committed to recovering the legacy of the forgotten, to familiarizing its readers with the latest trends in historical research, and to offering essential history founded on time-tested themes and approaches. The MHR will publish essays that illuminate the history of Massachusetts. Combining rich narrative and thoughtful analysis, the MHR will offer lively and original writing, photo-essays, historical documents, and review articles not just for professional historians but for the widest possible audience. The MHR's contributors will include some of the best practitioners of the historian's craft—writers whose interests span the entire spectrum of the state's history from its founding to the twenty-first century. We hope the MHR will be the first place you will look to discover the rich history of this commonwealth and the unmatched collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

Content in the History Cooperative database is intended for personal, noncommercial use only. You may not reproduce, publish, distribute, transmit, participate in the transfer or sale of, modify, create derivative works from, display, or in any way exploit the History Cooperative database in whole or in part without the written permission of the copyright holder.