Peggy Jablonski
Walking Cape Cod’s Hidden History: from the American Revolution to the Kennedy/Civil Rights Era
As we celebrate 250 years of the birth of the United States, the role of women and people of color in historical events and eras has been under-represented but are often hiding in plain sight. This session takes you on a virtual “walk” through the towns on Cape Cod to find the hidden history of women and people of color (Wampanoags, Cape Verdeans, African Americans) who helped shape the history of the Cape, Massachusetts, and our country. Some of the figures we will hear about include Mercy Otis Warren (the revolution and our constitution), Rachel Carson (the environment), Kathy Lee Bates (America the Beautiful); the role of women in the Wampaoag culture; Women at Sea and connections to the institution of slavery; Civil Rights era leaders including those who founded the NAACP on the Cape; Women Suffragettes and Women Ministers; Women artists and poets; LGBTQ leaders and artists. This will be a fast paced, inclusive approach to looking at history right where we live and sharing how to create a walking historical tour of your own.
Peggy Jablonski, EdD, (Jablonskiconsultinggroup.com) continues to serve higher education as a consultant and executive coach after a career of 40 years in administration including Dean or Vice President roles at MIT, Brown, UConn and UNC Chapel Hill. An American History major from UMass Amherst, Peggy has visited historical sites around the northeast, and across the South to pursue an interest in social justice, race relations, women’s history, and the American Revolution. During the summer of 2020, Peggy walked through every town on Cape Cod looking for “hidden history” particularly related to women and people of color.
Her walks led to the creation of the Cape Cod Camino Way walks, where she leads participants in the summer on historically accurate, social justice themed walks on Cape Cod. The author of the book Cape Cod Camino Way: Walking with a Purpose was published in 2021. Peggy serves on the board of the JFK Museum in Hyannis and is a member of the Brewster Historical Society and the Naples [Florida] Historical Society. She has presented more than 30 sessions on the hidden history of Cape Cod at libraries, historical societies, and conferences. Peggy’s goal is to make hidden or forgotten history come alive to enrich our understanding of the past.
