In one of its largest gatherings in many years, NEHA held its spring meeting on April 26, 2014 at Springfield College. Close to 150 attendees enjoyed panels and roundtable discussions – 30 sessions total – focusing on a range of topics, including the history of labor, sport, women’s rights, slavery, religion, higher education, and diplomacy. Other sessions focused on public history, teaching history online, the Middle East, India, Ireland and Irish-America, New England, and the American Revolution. The “Ukraine: European Borderland or a New Bloodland?” roundtable discussion provided historical context to better understand the current crisis.

Marty Dobrow (Springfield College) delivered a Keynote Address entitled “Ever So Close to Silence: The Perilous Journey of Martin Luther King, Jr. to Springfield College in 1964.” His talk commemorated the 50th anniversary of King’s Commencement address at Springfield and the circumstances, including pressure on the College from the FBI to disinvite him, that almost prevented King from making his address.

The program was arranged by Mark Herlihy (Endicott College). NEHA would like to thank officials of Springfield College for agreeing to host the conference, and Tom Carty especially for helping with local arrangements.