Remembering Fernald: Uncovering the Hidden History of Disability in Massachusetts

When:
Thursday, Feb 12, 2026 6:00p -
7:00p

Where:
Massachusetts Historical Society
1154 Boylston St
Boston, MA 02215

EventScheduled OfflineEventAttendanceMode

Admission:
$10

Hosted by:
...
jbelknap1791 Massachusetts Historical Society

Categories:
History, Lectures & Conferences, Social Good

Event website:
https://www.masshist.org/events/remembering-fernald

This is a hybrid event. FREE for MHS Members. $10 per person fee (in person). No charge for virtual attendees or Card to Culture participants (EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare). The in-person reception starts at 5:30 and the program will begin 6:00 PM.


Please visit here to register.


The history of disability in America is still under-researched and poorly understood. This is especially true when it comes to the rise of eugenics and the mass atrocities committed against disabled people in its many institutions. At the heart of that story is Walter E. Fernald, the Massachusetts doctor who ran America’s oldest institution for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Fernald’s influential work has shaped the world’s understanding of disabilities over the last century.


During this program, Harvard Kennedy School’s Alex Green will discuss his book, A Perfect Turmoil: Walter E. Fernald and the Struggle to Care for America’s Disabled, and the story of his decade-long effort to uncover this previously untold history. He will also discuss his work with students and community members in Waltham, Mass., to memorialize patients at Fernald; change policy in Massachusetts; and rewrite a history that continues to impact millions of disabled people to this day.

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02/12/2026 18:00:00 02/12/2026 19:00:00 America/New_York Remembering Fernald: Uncovering the Hidden History of Disability in Massachusetts <p>This is a hybrid event. FREE for MHS Members. $10 per person fee (in person). No charge for virtual attendees or Card to Culture participants (EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare). The in-person recepti...

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