Massachusetts Historical Society

Publications

The Massachusetts Historical Society began publishing books in 1792 and is one of the oldest, continually operating publishers in the United States. The categories below provide an overview of the work made available by the MHS, including printed books, electronic publications, and a newsletter and scholarly journal.

 The MHS Publishes 

As part of its mission, the MHS maintains its own publishing program and hosts the offices of the Adams Papers Editorial Project. Learn more about the print and digital editions published by the MHS.

Featured Publication

Fashioning the New England Family 

Written by Kimberly S. Alexander. Foreword by Anne E. Bentley

The Massachusetts Historical Society has collected family materials since 1791, including long-cherished textiles and garments that arrived alongside letters and diaries. Fashioning the New England Family uses documents and artifacts to illustrate a swath of more than 300 years of history, moving from the 17th century to the early 20th. The text traces patterns of global production and local consumption and reuse, demonstrating how New Englanders used fashion to express class and political affiliations. Patriots and loyalists who are well represented in the Society’s rich holdings—Adamses, Dawses, and Olivers—make many appearances. 

Based on the exhibition of the same name presented at the MHS from October 2018 to April 2019, this companion volume features over one hundred full-color photographs of garments, textiles, and accessories, many of which had never been displayed for the public or seen in living memory. Read more about Fashioning the New England Family. 

168 pages,  133 color illustrations Distributed by the University of Virginia Press $35 Paperback (2021)   ISBN: 978-1-936520-13-8

Adams Paper Editorial Project

The Adams Papers project was founded in 1954 to prepare a comprehensive published edition of the manuscripts written and received by the family of John Adams of Quincy, Massachusetts. 

Project History 

The Adams Papers project was founded in 1954 to prepare a comprehensive published edition of the manuscripts written and received by the family of John Adams of Quincy, Massachusetts. The Adams Family Papers manuscript collection at the Massachusetts Historical Society forms the nucleus of the project. In addition, the editors have gathered over 27,000 copies of Adams items from hundreds of libraries, institutions, and individuals in the United States and abroad. The project’s cut-off date is 1889, the year Abigail Brooks Adams died. Read more

Massachusetts Historical Review

Available in print or digital format, the Massachusetts Historical Review (MHR) publishes essays, photo-essays, historical documents, and review articles each autumn. Every issue offers pieces rich in narrative grace and thoughtful analysis, prepared for all readers interested in the history of the Commonwealth, from its settlement to the 21st century. Learn more.

MHS Miscellany

The Society's newsletter, the Miscellany, contains announcements about the Society, its programs, recent acquisitions, grants and awards, and other activities. Find out more.

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