I am pleased to announce that Delaware Humanities has selected my new talk, “The Mason-Dixon Line: An Enduring Boundary in American History,” for inclusion in the 2024-25 Speakers Bureau and Visiting Scholars program. This lecture delves into the fascinating and complex history of the Mason-Dixon Line—an enduring boundary that is deeply etched into the American…
Month: September 2024
The Clerk of the Court’s Office: Unlocking History’s Treasures
Over the years, I have come to appreciate the immense value of the Clerk of the Court’s office as a repository of historical information. This sentiment was greatly reinforced during my recent visit to the Atlantic County Courthouse in May’s Landing, where I had the pleasure of meeting County Clerk Joseph J. Giralo. When I…
The Hangman’s Noose: Unraveling a Piece of Material Culture
While researching the history of capital punishment in New Jersey, a peculiar artifact in the catalog of collections at the Atlantic County Historical Society caught my attention: the hangman’s noose with its twisted fibers and knots.1 This seemingly simple object, a piece of material culture, embodies a complex history that intersects directly with the evolution…