Historic Site Events

Queer & Trans Early America in Print
Live on Zoom
February 11, 2026
7:00 – 8:30pm

Questions of gender identity and sexuality are nothing new. Long before people identified as transgender or lesbian, there were female husbands — people assigned female at birth who transed gender, lived as men, and entered into legal marriages with women.

Early America is filled with histories of queer pioneers, from female husbands to sailors, children, and prisoners. During the early republic and antebellum period, these stories were featured in newspapers, magazines, and children’s literature. In this talk, historian Jen Manion will examine these queer and trans stories that appeared in print. They will explore questions like:

• How were queer and trans people represented in print media at the time?
• What can these stories tell us about the lives of queer and trans people?
• What were their experiences like prior to medicalization and the invention of modern categories such as homosexual and transgender?

On April 16, 2025, we were honored to present the celebrated filmmaker Ken Burns with the Third Lantern Award at Lanterns & Luminaries, our annual celebration of “two if by sea.” The award recognizes those who embody the values of leadership, courage, hope, tenacity, and active citizenship.

This video includes the full program, including remarks by Mr. Burns, Senator Ed Markey, and Governor Maura Healey. Guests at Lanterns & Luminaries enjoyed a sneak peek of Mr. Burns’s new documentary, The American Revolution, which is scheduled to premiere on PBS on November 16, 2025. An abbreviated clip from the documentary is shown in this recording of Lanterns & Luminaries.