As Orchard House, the Alcott family home on Lexington Road in Concord, bore witness to unfolding events of the Revolutionary War on 19 April 1775, so were the Alcotts witness to extraordinary changes that came about through their thoughts and actions. With fellow Transcendentalists Emerson, Fuller, Thoreau, and many others, the Alcotts saw the world as a place where individuals could improve themselves and the lives of others.
The Alcotts dedicated themselves to making the world a better place by boldly advocating for equality, actively supporting the anti-slavery movement and participating in the Underground Railroad, as well as fighting for educational rights and literacy for all. Abigail May Alcott also championed the poor through her social welfare work, while Bronson Alcott drew attention to much-needed educational reform through his progressive schools. Louisa May Alcott became part of the literary revolution not only with her groundbreaking juvenile fiction, but also through her articles about women’s rights and woman suffrage published in Lucy Stone’s The Woman’s Journal.
Today, through shared ideas, we may also discover ways to bring about reform with respect to the environment, education, equality, respect for the individual, and many other aspects of our world. In this year’s Summer Conversational Series, participants will examine the meaning of revolutions of thought, and discuss how the power of ideas can change the world.
