Tuesday, September 22, 2026 · 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Children's Room — 64 S St., Norwell, MA
As our nation grapples with foundational dilemmas of citizenship and belonging, leading historians are pushing us to redefine and understand why the Reconstruction Era is essential. The dilemmas we face today (of citizenship and voting rights, the powers of national and state governments, the relationship between political and economic rights, our response to homegrown terrorism, and more) have their origin in the Reconstruction era. To understand the era's lessons, historians are pushing us to expand our view in both time and geography, including stories from our entire nation and extending beyond the traditional 12 years, from the end of the Civil War in 1865 to the Compromise of 1877. Jeremy Nesoff, is a former 7-12th grade history teacher and school administrator who has worked at the nationally known educational non-profit, Facing History and Ourselves, for 19 years and is currently the Managing Director of Growth and Engagement. He will lead this interactive session (including discussions of primary sources) and address the essential question: What can we learn from the history of Reconstruction as we work to strengthen democracy today? This presentation is part of our…