Banned In Boston

RECORDED MAY 6, 2021: As we confront our nation’s complex history, it’s imperative to reexamine some of our national founding stories. What is the narrative we want to embrace? How can we use that narrative as a tool to create change today? We are proud to present the first in our Banned in Boston discussion series: An exclusive conversation with Neil Miller, author of Banned in Boston: The Watch and Ward Society’s Crusade Against Books, Burlesque, and the Social Evil.

To authentically preserve and learn from our shared past, it’s necessary to continuously infuse new perspectives into those conversations. Over the years, Boston’s response to storytelling has been varied. With a strong legacy of creativity in its neighborhoods, Boston saw a powerful force emerge in the “watch and ward” era. The Watch and Ward Society – New England’s notorious literary and artistic censor – reached its height in the 1920s, but there are still many perspectives of our history that are wrongly deemed controversial today. In the coming months, Revolutionary Spaces will host a series of Members’ View discussions with creators of our time to revisit our past and begin to decide for ourselves which stories we wish to carry forward.