Faculty First Year Seminars 197HIS16 - City as Text: Abolitionism and

This course will explore the fascinating history of Florence, Massachusetts, a small manufacturing town with a rich past, located 10 miles west of Amherst. We will use Florence itself as a ?text,? visiting the town and examining archival and physical evidence. In the 19th century, Florence was a center for abolitionist and other reform activities, as well as a stop on the Underground Railroad. Abolitionists Sojourner Truth and David Ruggles were among the distinguished residents of its African-American community. Perhaps most remarkably, Florence was the site of a communally-owned and -operated silk mill, the owners of which recognized ?the rights of all?without distinction of sex, color or condition, sect or religion.? In addition to background readings, students will explore digital archives and local research sites such as Historic Northampton, the Sojourner Truth Memorial Statue and Park, and the David Ruggles Center for Early Florence History and Underground Railroad Studies. Students should be prepared to make at least one trip to Florence (times and dates to be arranged according to student schedules).

Freshmen Only