John Nicholas Brown Center

Established in 1980 by a group of historians, activists and archivists, The History Project is the only group focused exclusively on preserving the history of Boston’s LGBT community, and on making that history accessible to future generations. Primarily a volunteer-driven organization, The History Project focuses on several important initiatives including conducting research on lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgenders in Massachusetts, preserving the documentary record of that community's social and historical contributions, and providing a forum for educating the general public. Through its mission, THP seeks to provide an accurate portrayal of the contributions the LGBT community has made to the political, cultural, and economic life of the region. In this talk members of THP's board and staff reflect on their experiences doing this work and its outcomes.

In the 22 years since its founding, the Lower East Side Tenement Museum has become an iconic and much revered institution. Now, the LESTM is determined to update its interpretation to allow the museum to play a role in the national conversation about immigration in the United States. In his talk, Dr. Morris Vogel, president of the LESTM, discusses the challenges and opportunities raised by this dynamic new interpretive plan.

Daniel Libeskind is an international figure in architectural practice and urban design. With over forty projects worldwide, Libeskind's practice extends from museums and concert halls to convention centers, universities, hotels, shopping centers, and residential projects. In his conversation with Brown Professor Dietrich Neumann, Libeskind discussed his design practice, his architectural philosophy, and some of his most important projects.

A project of City Lore and the Municipal Art Society, Place Matters has spent the past ten years tracking, documenting, and promoting the places that connect New Yorkers to the past, host community and cultural traditions, and keep the city distinctive. The work of Place Matters is based on nominations of places submitted by the public and can be adapted to any location. Place Matters co-founder and director Marci Reaven discusses the kinds of places people care about and strategies for promotion and protection.

This lecture explored how memory functions in the social sphere and how it is reflected symbolically in the space of the city. Conceptual artists Stih and Schnock discussed how the intrusion of art in public space affects everyday life in memorial projects, including “Places of Remembrance,” “BUS STOP,” and interventions like “Invitation” at Berlin-Alexanderplatz. Collections as containers of memory will be explored, including “Who Needs Art, We Need Potatoes,” “The Art of Collecting - Flick in Berlin,” and, most recently, “The City as Text” and “Show Your Collection.”