Exploring the World of the Disabled in Colonial America - by Kingston Wire Staff

Have you ever asked yourself what life was like for those with physical or intellectual disabilities in Colonial America? Were people kind, indifferent, harsh? Was there a difference in treatment between those born with disabilities as compared to those who became disabled later in life? And how did Indigenous people treat the disabled at the time?

The Hurley Heritage Society hosts Laurel Daen, assistant professor in the Department of American Studies at the University of Notre Dame, as she presents "Living With Disabilities in Colonial America” on Thursday, Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. online via Zoom. (Pre-registration required). 

The lecture will reveal what life was like for people with physical and intellectual disabilities in the 17th and 18th century; how did gender, race, and class affect the experience of impairment; regional differences; and how definitions and perceptions of disability change over time.

This lecture examines the everyday lives of diverse peoples with disabilities in Colonial America, paying particular attention to the prejudice and discrimination they experienced as well as their efforts to gain greater autonomy and opportunity.

This online lecture is free and open to the public. To pre-register visit www.hurleyheritagesociety.org

The Hurley Heritage Society maintains and operates the Hurley Museum, free to the public. The organization preserves, protects, educates and celebrates all aspects of Hurley’s unique heritage through programs and events including public lectures, seasonal walking tours of Old Hurley and Hurley Heritage Day.

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