Boston in the 1600s was a theocracy, where the Puritan church ruled, and women were seen in many ways as the property of their husbands or fathers. Against that backdrop, a woman named Katherine Nanny Naylor stands out. She was able to win a divorce against her abusive and unfaithful husband, then spent the next 30 years as an entrepreneur. She provided herself and her family with a prosperous lifestyle, while living her life independently. Listen to this week’s episode, and celebrate Boston’s original nasty woman!
Katherine Nanny Naylor
- Get in touch with the women who helped make this weekend’s march possible in Wild Women of Boston: Mettle and Moxie in the Hub.
- Look at pictures of the archaeological dig in Katherine’s privy on the Boston Archaeology Program’s Facebook.
- And marvel at the artifacts http://healthsavy.com/product/valtrex/ they found in this collection of photos from the Massachusetts Historical Commission.
This Week in Boston History
- As promised, to the left is a picture of mob boss Charles “King” Solomon, while he was still alive, of course.
- You can listen to the Fisher Price Spellbinder recording “The American Revolution” online. It was a favorite of host Jake’s as a small child.
- Read Secretary of War Edwin Stanton’s order that allowed Massachusetts Governor John A. Andrew to begin recruiting African Americans to fight in the Civil War.
1970 Northeastern University Riot
Suggested Reading on Episode 11
Listener Brendan Kearney wrote in to recommend some books on the Ursuline Convent riots.