The Springfield Museums will present the following Museums à la Carte lecture programs in February. The programs are held on Thursdays at 12:15 pm in the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts.
- February 7 – Slavery in the Connecticut Valley in the 1700s. Robert H. Romer, Amherst College professor and author, will speak on the widespread practice of slavery in the Connecticut Valley during colonial times, when most of the “important people” – especially ministers – owned one or more black slaves.
- February 14 – Representative Benjamin Swan: Springfield, “Massassippi’s” Seventh Son. annalise fonza, Ph.D., presents a profile of Rep. Swan, from his beginnings in rural Mississippi through his family’s migration to Springfield and his role as a civil rights advocate and later state Representative.
- February 21 – no lecture (school vacation).
- February 28 – The Coral Reef. Often referred to as the "rainforests of the sea," coral reefs are the most productive environments on earth. Frances Ryan, environmental journalist and educator at Horizon Productions, will speak on the ecology of these fragile ecosystems and their impact on our world.
Admission to Museums à la Carte is $4 ($2 for members of the Springfield Museums). The programs are sponsored by Big Y World Class Market. Visitors are invited to bring lunch to enjoy during the program. Cookies and coffee are provided.
Free onsite parking is available. For more information about Museums à la Carte, call 413.263.6800, ext. 488.