City Living, or “One Vast Masquerade Entertainment”

It must have been personal interest that drew my eye to this one item on the shelf, “The Temptations of City Life: A Voice to Young Men Seeking a Home and Fortune, in Large Towns and Cities,”  Tracts for the Cities — No. 3 (New York, 1849) [AAS online catalog record].  While I am not … Continue reading City Living, or “One Vast Masquerade Entertainment”

Past is Present and Other Blogs

Here is a roundup of a few blogs that have recently mentioned Past is Present. One of our recent posts — “City Living” was referenced a couple of times. Two Nerdy History Girls had a post “Big Bad City Tempts Young Men, 1849” in which Susan provides a wonderful set-up to introduce our earlier post: … Continue reading Past is Present and Other Blogs

This Day in History: Stamp Act Congress Convenes in Protest

October 7, 1765 – On this day in 1765, the Stamp Act Congress convened in New York City. Representatives from nine colonies met to protest the Stamp Act, which imposed the first direct tax by the British Crown on American colonies. The passage of the Stamp Act is often cited as one of the first … Continue reading This Day in History: Stamp Act Congress Convenes in Protest

A Puzzle No More: Charles C. Green and The Nubian Slave

The catalog records that a library user sees in the course of searching often belie a considerable underlying complexity. At AAS, maximizing access to our collections through the creation of accurate, clear and concise catalog records is a high priority. However, the true extent of the effort required to create and maintain these records may … Continue reading A Puzzle No More: Charles C. Green and The Nubian Slave

Artists in the AAS Archive: August 2020

This week we continue our Artists in the AAS Archive series.  This installment offers a spotlight on four past fellows: poet James Arthur; poet and nonfiction author Christopher Cokinos; Cartoonist R. Sikoryak; and artist Stephanie Wolff. This series is part of our celebration of the 25th anniversary of Artist fellowships at the American Antiquarian Society.  … Continue reading Artists in the AAS Archive: August 2020

A Trip Around the World with Nellie Bly

Working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic has allowed me the opportunity to explore the AAS catalog in fun new ways. Inspired by my family’s board games, which have been stacked in the living room since our transition to remote work, one recent search led to our games collection. While many of the games piqued … Continue reading A Trip Around the World with Nellie Bly

An AAS Curiosity: The Puzzle of the Mayan Mural Drawings

Emily Isakson is a senior at Mount Holyoke College and was a Readers’ Services page this past summer. As an ancient studies major with a focus in art history and archaeology, Emily has always been interested in what has shaped the society we know today. Her time at AAS has only furthered her curiosity about … Continue reading An AAS Curiosity: The Puzzle of the Mayan Mural Drawings

Little Lamb, Big Story

The Birthplace of Mary

Ali Phaneuf is a rising sophomore at Fairfield University and is currently a readers’ services summer page. As a journalism major and an art minor, Ali has always been an avid book reader, and her love of books and creativity was able to grow through her experience at AAS. The story of “Mary had …

Finding John Levy

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A couple of weeks ago, Claire Jones, an intern from Princeton University, posted about her project centered on Judaica at AAS. This is the next installment in her findings. From its cover, the book looked totally ordinary. I had picked the title—The Life and Adventures of John Levy—from my list of memoirs for a few reasons. First, if … Continue reading Finding John Levy

It’s Time for the Fall 2015 Public Programs

The Poets Vision-cropped

It’s public program time again, beginning tomorrow! This season we have a wonderful variety of programs, including a book launch, a panel presentation of former Creative Artists and Writers Fellows to celebrate the program’s 20th anniversary, and reflections on the Revolutionary War era. As always, public programs are open to the public and free of … Continue reading It’s Time for the Fall 2015 Public Programs

Now In Print from the AAS Community

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Every quarter at AAS we release a list of recent publications by those who have researched at the library as fellows, members, or readers. To see this list, as well as a list of works published from 2000-2014, please visit our recent scholarship page on the AAS website. If your book, article, or other achievement is not included, … Continue reading Now In Print from the AAS Community

Meet AAS Fellow Cole Jones

Past is Present: Will you describe your current project for us? Trenton Cole Jones: Certainly. My book project, which is a revised version of my doctoral dissertation, is entitled Captives of Liberty: Prisoners of War and the Radicalization of the American Revolution. This project investigates how Revolutionary Americans treated their captured enemies. I originally came … Continue reading Meet AAS Fellow Cole Jones

The People’s Choice: Prang Christmas Card Contests

Vedder card

Starting in 1880, the chromolithographer Louis Prang held an annual design contest for the selection of his color-printed Christmas cards. Prang, who is often called “The Father of the American Christmas Card,” helped to popularize the practice of sending cards in the United States after he made an 1864 visit to Europe. While there he … Continue reading The People’s Choice: Prang Christmas Card Contests

An Old Vial of Tea with a Priceless Story: The Destruction of the Tea, December 16, 1773

tea vial

Sometimes the most unassuming objects can take on powerful meaning. A small, sealed glass bottle of tea, displayed at the American Antiquarian Society, is a case in point. Donated in 1840 by the Reverend Thaddeus M. Harris (1768-1842), a Unitarian clergyman in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and a member of AAS, the tea is one of the … Continue reading An Old Vial of Tea with a Priceless Story: The Destruction of the Tea, December 16, 1773