Before Salem: Witchcraft in Boston’s North End, 1688 — Cotton Mather, Martha Goodwin, and the Making of a Witchcraft Panic

Historian James S. Pasto leads Before Salem: Witchcraft in Boston’s North End, 1688 — Cotton Mather, Martha Goodwin, and the Making of a Witchcraft Panic, a lecture focusing on witchcraft in Boston's North End neighborhood in the 17th century. In 1688, Boston’s North End was the scene of one of New England’s most famous witchcraft cases. Four children of the Goodwin family were believed to have been bewitched, and Cotton Mather, one of Boston’s leading Puritan ministers, became closely involved in the case. This talk examines the Goodwin case within the broader history of Puritan Boston and the beliefs, fears, and social tensions that shaped accusations of witchcraft. Drawing on insights from cultural anthropology, it explores how witchcraft beliefs function in different societies, why accusations arise, and how the events in Boston helped set the stage for the Salem witchcraft trials of 1692. James S. Pasto is Boston University lecturer and co-founder of the North End Historical Society. This event is sponsored by the Friends of the North End Branch of the Boston Public Library through the generosity of the John D. McGonagle Foundation. Visit www.friendsnelibrary.org or contact info@friendsnelibrary.org with any questions! Accessibility Notice : We strive to make our events accessible. To request a disability accommodation and/or language services, contact the department listed in the "Contact Info" pane on the right. Please allow at least two weeks to arrange accommodation.