Book Event: History of Stepfamilies in Early America
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Presented by
New England Historic Genealogical Society
Book Event: History of Stepfamilies in Early America
with author Dr. Lisa Wilson
Wednesday, September 2, 2015, 6:00-7:30 pm
NEHGS, 99-101 Newbury Street, Boston
FREE! To register, visit our website or call 617-226-1226.
Stepfamilies are not a modern phenomenon, but despite this reality, the history of stepfamilies in America has yet to be fully explored. In the first book-length work on the topic, Lisa Wilson examines the stereotypes and actualities of colonial stepfamilies and reveals them to be important factors in early United States domestic history. Remarriage was a necessity in this era, when war and disease took a heavy toll, all too often leading to domestic stress, and cultural views of stepfamilies during this time placed great strain on stepmothers and stepfathers.
Wilson shares the stories of real stepfamilies in early New England, investigating the relationship between prejudice and lived experience, and, in the end, offers a new way of looking at family units throughout history and the cultural stereotypes that still affect stepfamilies today. Book sales and signing to follow. Register today!
Well-researched and fascinating, A History of Stepfamilies in Early America does a fine job of challenging enduring stereotypes and contributes to current-day conversations about the experiences of children, women, and men within stepfamilies.
Anne M. Boylan, University of Delaware