American Inspiration Author Series

A best-selling author series by American Ancestors

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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

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 History, Porter Square Books, and the State Library of Massachusetts.

Upcoming Events

Author Event

Online

Paid

Michael Luo and Jill Lepore discuss "Strangers in the Land: Exclusion, Belonging, and the Epic Story of the Chinese in America"

Beginning in the middle of the nineteenth century, tens of thousands of Chinese migrated to a distant land they called Gum Shan-–Gold Mountain. Americans initially welcomed these arrivals. Strangers in the Land tells the story of what happened next and into modern times, revealing anew the complications of our multiracial democracy.

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May 7, 2025

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American Inspiration Author Series

Author Event

Online

Free

"Explorers: A New History" with author Matthew Lockwood

People of every background imagine new worlds. The impulse to seek new places is universal to humanity. In Explorers, historian Matthew Lockwood unfurls a tapestry of surprising and historically overlooked figures spanning forty centuries and six continents; he illuminates their lives filled with imagination and wonder, curiosity, connection, and exchange.

Moderated by Margaret Talcott

May 28, 2025

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American Inspiration Author Series

Author Event

Online

Free

"Freedom Ship: The Uncharted History of Escaping Slavery by Sea" with Marcus Rediker

A pre-eminent scholar of Atlantic history and the award-winning author of The Slave Ship, Marcus Rediker joins us to share his definitive, sweeping account of the Underground Railroad’s long-overlooked maritime origins.