We use history to catalyze the connections that make Cambridge, Massachusetts more vibrant and cohesive.

 

Nov 12: Virtual book group discussion of Contending Forces

Details Tues, Nov 12 at 7pmFreeOn Zoom A pioneering figure of her time, Pauline Hopkins was a novelist, journalist, playwright, and activist who fearlessly tackled issues of race, gender, and social justice.  Join us for a virtual discussion of her 1900 novel Contending Forces (available through the Cambridge Public Library). To learn more about Hopkins,…

Dec 4: Holiday Party

We’ve had a great year learning about North Cambridge, and we’re excited to close out the year with you! We can’t think of a better place to celebrate than Paddy’s, the oldest family-owned pub in Cambridge. Party Details Wednesday, December 4, 20246:00 PM–8:00 PMPaddy’s Lunch260 Walden StreetAddress on Google Maps. Permit parking is available on…

Block Party Summer

Turn Up the History at Your Block Party This Summer! Looking for some historical context to your summer gathering? Get in touch and we will bring our History Kit—a trove of interactive fun that will engage all the senses. This is history you can touch, see, smell, taste, and most importantly, enjoy together. This is…

Marking Cambridge’s 400th Anniversary

The year 2030 marks the 400th anniversary of Cambridge, Massachusetts (originally settled as New Towne in 1630 by the Massachusetts Bay Company). This momentous occasion is an opportunity for the people of Cambridge to reflect on our past, celebrate, and establish plans for sustaining our history into the future.

All About Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins

Biography of Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins (1859-1930) Courtesy of Ira Dworkin, Department of English, Texas A&M University Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins, who was born in Portland, Maine, in 1859, is best known for four novels and numerous short stories which she published between 1900 and 1903. Her best-known work, the novel Contending Forces: A Romance Illustrative of Negro…

Watershed: An Excursion in Four Parts

by Emily HiestandFirst published by The Georgia Review and Beacon Press in 1998. Updated slightly in 2021 for publication in This Impermanent Earth, and in 2024 for History Cambridge. Part One | Street Like travelers who want to keep some favorite place from being overly discovered, the residents of our neighborhood sometimes confide to one another in a near-whisper, “There’s no…

LGBTQ+ History Hub

This hub is a work in progress. Have some resources to add? Let us know! In This Hub Introduction Cambridge is a well-known leader in LGBTQ+ rights. The city was first in Massachusetts to perform gender-affirming surgery in 1972, and in 2004 it became first in the country to grant same-sex marriage licenses. City government…

North Cambridge History Hub

North Cambridge History Hub

Fort Washington History Hub

Fort Washington Park is the last remaining fortification from the Revolutionary War in Cambridge, but the park and neighborhood hold rich histories beyond the Revolutionary era. This History Hub contains materials that details the eras of the park

Cambridgeport History Hub

History Hub for all things Cambridgeport

Culinary History Hub

Culinary History of Cambridge By Rain Robertson, and revised by Deb Mandel, 2022 Cambridge holds a rich and distinctive culinary history. It gave America ice, the Porterhouse steak, Peking ravioli, its first star chef in Julia Child, and a hankering for Indian food. This is a survey of 20th century markets, delis, cafeterias, and local…

Indigenous Peoples History Hub

Curious about the Indigenous history of this place? Start learning here.

Inner Belt Hub

Cambridge had a major role in battling one highway for decades and eventually sparking a process that created a powerful coalition that led officials to remake transportation policy for the Boston area inside Route 128

Black History in Cambridge: Online Resources Hub

Above Image: Saundra Graham speaks into a megaphone during the occupation of 319th Harvard Commencement June 11, 1970 (Courtesy Cambridge Historical Commission) Delve into these online resources that explore Black history in Cambridge. More programs and events about Cambridge’s Black history are being planned. To be notified, sign up for our monthly enewsletter. Articles Self-Guided…

Early Black Cambridge Resource Hub

Are you interested in learning more about the history of race, slavery, and African American life in the Cambridge area? This guide highlights many of the resources available that touch on these topics, including primary, secondary, and public-facing sources (such as self-guided tours and websites). While this hub is focused on material related to the 1700s, it also offers relevant material from later periods in Cambridge history.

Women’s History Hub

Profiles included: Barbara Ackermann | Maria Baldwin | Ann Bookman | Sara Chapman Bull | Joyce Chen | Helen Lee Franklin | Suzanne R. Green | Lois Lilley Howe | Edith Lesley | Eva Neer | Mercy Scollay | Elizabeth Sullivan | Phyllis Wallace Our 2020 theme was Who Are Cambridge Women? But why spend…

Blue bottle trees on the front lawn of the Hoopeer-Lee-Nichols House

Curious About Forgotten Souls of Tory Row?

In 2022, History Cambridge was awarded an Arts for Social Justice grant from Cambridge Arts. We selected the artist collaborative Black Coral, Inc. for the project and installation began in May 2022, with the art on view from June 1st 2022 through April 7th 2023. “Forgotten Souls of Tory Row: Remembering the Enslaved People of Brattle Street” honors the enslaved adults and children who lived and worked on this land as well as those whose labor on Caribbean plantations helped finance the grand homes of white Tory Row elites.

Blue bottle trees on the front lawn of the Hoopeer-Lee-Nichols House

Search Our Site

Find original research by History Cambridge staff, interns, volunteers, and community members, including articles, oral histories, and online exhibitions. Search results also include our finding aids, which describe archival materials you can make an appointment to view in person.

Shed light on untold stories and silenced voices.

Passionate about Cambridge history? Support our mission by volunteering with History Cambridge Corps.