A best-selling author series by American Ancestors

Stories of American history, heritage, and culture

As part of our mission to educate, inspire and connect people to their family history, the American Inspiration Author Series explores themes of personal identity, families, immigration, and social and cultural history. Discover inspiring and thought-provoking stories of American families and the complex history which has shaped this country.

Brought to you by

The Brue Family Learning Center

American Inspiration: A best-selling author series by American Ancestors

Our Partners

American Inspiration Author Series partners with a variety of influential Boston institutions for many of our events, including Boston Public Library, GBH Forum Network, Museum of African American HistoryPorter Square Books, and the State Library of Massachusetts.

Porter Square Books, Boston Public Library, GBH, Museum of African American History, State Library of Massachusetts

Upcoming Events

Author Event
Online
Free

David Waldstreicher with The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley: A Poet's Journeys Through American Slavery and Independence

Hear about historian David Waldstreicher's new biography of the celebrated poet Phillis Wheatley, whose extraordinary work set African American literature at the heart of the American Revolution.

Moderated by L'Merchie Frazier
March 27, 2023

American Inspiration Author Series

Author Event
Online
Paid

Ken Burns with Our America: A Photographic History

Join us for a special event featuring Ken Burns, one of today’s most treasured filmmakers, and the Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard, in a discussion of Our America—a stunning collection of some of Burns’s favorite American photographs.

Moderated by Ron Howard
April 4, 2023

American Inspiration Author Series

Author Event
Online
Free

Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos with The Pirate’s Wife: The Remarkable True Story of Sarah Kidd

Based on a trove of original documents, The Pirate’s Wife reveals remarkable insights into the Golden Age of Piracy, and offers a female-centered view of a time in history typically associated with the accomplishments of men.

April 20, 2023

American Inspiration Author Series

Author Event
In Person
Free

Chad L. Williams with The Wounded World: W. E. B. Du Bois and the First World War

Hear about the dramatic story of W. E. B. Du Bois's reckoning with the betrayal of Black soldiers during World War I—and gain a new understanding of that era, and of one of the great twentieth-century writers.

Moderated by Kendra Field
May 8, 2023

American Inspiration Author Series

Photo Gallery

Enjoy a selection of photos from past in-person American Inspiration events.

Recent Past Events

Visit our Video Library to watch all past American Inspiration Author Series events