At Boston museum, new exhibit opens highlighting Mass. role in shaping U.S. democracy

January 05, 2022

Caroline Llanes

Secretary of State William Galvin and Michael Comeau, executive director of the Massachusetts Archives, review documents dating back from the 19th century pertaining to the expansion of the right to vote in Massachusetts. (Jesse Costa/WBUR) — Secretary of State William Galvin, left, and Michael Comeau, executive director of the Massachusetts Archives, review documents dating back from the 19th century pertaining to the expansion of the right to vote in Massachusetts. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

An exhibition at the Commonwealth Museum in Boston opening this week will highlight Massachusetts' role in shaping the nation's democracy.

Secretary of State William Galvin will open the exhibit called "Massachusetts Defending Democracy in America" at 1 p.m. Wednesday. He said it's important to think about protecting democracy — especially with the upcoming first anniversary Thursday of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

"We need to make sure that we talk about what we're going to do going forward to protect not just the rights of voters, which are the most important, but also to protect election officials who are trying to do their job," he said. "No one should be subject to threats for carrying out their responsibilities as election officers."

Featured historical documents include records related to Shays' Rebellion, the 1820 Massachusetts Constitutional Convention, and Black citizens after the Dred Scott Supreme Court decision in 1857.