Electioneering in the Age of Jackson

The OLLI Distinguished Speakers Series presents
Dr. Nicholas Aieta:

Electioneering in the Age of Jackson -
How Americans Brought out the Vote in an Era of Disagreement

Monday, May 1 at 7:00 p.m. EST

Online via Zoom

For over two centuries, the experiment in democracy in the United States has seen the nature of voting evolve including the "who," the "how," the "where," and more. Interactions between candidates and the voting population have created opportunities to grow personal connections with politicians, challenge the status quo, and use material culture as varied as music, political cartoons, pamphlets, newspapers, and other print ephemera in an effort to get elected. We will quickly explore some of the most dramatic examples connected to the 1820s and 1830s and attempt to draw connections to how political campaigning functions in the 21^st century.

Dr. Nicholas J. Aieta is the current chair of the Westfield State University History and Philosophy Department as well as a member of the city of Westfield Historical Commission (Massachusetts). At Westfield State, Dr. Aieta teaches courses on early American history, Native American history, the American West and methodology. He also serves as program coordinator for students interested in becoming public middle and high school teachers. A native of Massachusetts, Dr. Aieta attended the College of the Holy Cross (BA, History), the University of Connecticut (MA, History) and the University of Nebraska (PhD, History). He taught and worked in Boston, Medford, Lincoln, Nebraska, Nashville, TN, and Los Angeles, CA prior to returning to New England at Westfield State University. This spring, Dr. Aieta will be in his first performance with the Westfield Theater Group portraying, appropriately enough, Thomas Jefferson in 1776, the Musical.

Admission is $10 for OLLI at BCC and Berkshire Museum members, and $15 for the general public. Admission is free for Berkshire Community College students, youth 17 and under, and those holding WIC, EBT/SNAP, or ConnectorCare cards.

Pre-registration is required. Register safely and securely online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9am-4pm) to register by phone with a credit card.