John Moore, Jr. (b. c. 1800), oil on canvas by William P. Codman (c. 1798-1878), 1826. About this painting | About John Moore, Jr.
American Antiquarian Society
185 Salisbury Street
Worcester, MA 01609
United States
What did “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” actually mean for Black New Englanders? This seminar follows the lives and struggles of African Americans in New England from the era of the American Revolution through the 1830s, using the extraordinary collections of the American Antiquarian Society as an archive and laboratory.
Together we’ll trace the “unfinished” work of the Revolution by asking how Black people claimed freedom, built communities, and confronted racism in a region that liked to call itself free. We will explore gradual emancipation, Black mobility and migration, entrepreneurship, church life, education, and political organizing. Topics include voting rights, access to schooling, and the creation of vibrant African American neighborhoods, as well as the backlash that followed: violence against Black activists, attacks on churches, colonization schemes, and efforts to limit citizenship and belonging. By the end of the course, you will see the American Revolution—and New England’s place within its legacy—in a new light from the vantage point of communities who insisted that the promises of 1776 belonged to everyone.
When and Where
The seminar will meet Thursday afternoons, from 2-4 p.m., September 3 to December 3, 2026, at the American Antiquarian Society, 185 Salisbury Street, Worcester, Massachusetts.
Eligibility and Application
The seminar welcomes applications from students enrolled at one of the five participating institutions whose academic record, personal statement, and letter of recommendation indicate a commitment to academic excellence, the ability to work independently, and a sincere interest in the seminar’s subject matter.
Eligible students may contact one of the faculty representatives listed above for more information.
About the American Studies Seminar for Undergraduates
The theme and leader of each year's seminar change, but all provide a rare opportunity for undergraduates enrolled at one of the five participating institutions to do primary, in-person research in a major research library.
Admission to the seminar is coordinated by the following faculty representatives on each of the five participating campuses:
- Assumption University: John F. Bell, jf.bell [at] assumption.edu (jf[dot]bell[at]assumption[dot]edu)
- Clark University: Meredith Neuman, meneuman [at] clark.edu (meneuman[at]clark[dot]edu)
- College of the Holy Cross: Gwenn Miller, gmiller [at] holycross.edu (gmiller[at]holycross[dot]edu)
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Prof. Steven C. Bullock, HUA, sbullock [at] wpi.edu (sbullock[at]wpi[dot]edu)
Worcester State University: Alison Okuda, thangen [at] worcester.edu (aokuda[at]worcester[dot]edu)
About the Instructor
Scott Gac is an author, historian, teacher, and dedicated triathlete. He is Professor of History and American Studies at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. As Director of Trinity’s undergraduate and graduate programs in American Studies from 2013 to 2023, he led curriculum development, lectures, working groups, and public outreach for one of the nation’s most respected liberal arts programs in the field. His latest book, Born in Blood: Violence and the Making of America (Cambridge University Press, 2024), expands on his popular lecture course, tracing the deep connections between race, slavery, and Indigenous dispossession in 19th-century American politics and culture. His first book, Singing for Freedom (Yale Press, 2007), explores interracial social activism in the pre-Civil War era through the abolitionist musicians, the Hutchinson Family Singers—a story brought to life in a 2015 performance series by the Rose Ensemble in St. Paul, Minnesota.