On Saturday, March 28, at the Old Town Hall, 32 Derby Square at 10 a.m., Salem historian and author Donna Seger will present a lecture entitled Organizing Generosity: Centuries of Women Supporting Women in Salem. Seger, a well-known author and Salem historian, will highlight how for centuries Salem women pioneered the custom of using philanthropic organizations to aid and assist the most vulnerable– a practice that continues to this day.
“Throughout history Salem women have organized to provide care and comfort of hundreds of people,” Seger said. “From the widows and orphans of Revolutionary soldiers and seamen lost at sea, refugees from shipwrecks and slavery, Civil War soldiers on the front, to the emigres, elderly, disabled or displaced; Salem women have been at the forefront through organized charities and organizations centuries before they had the right to vote.”
The March 28th lecture will also give the community a chance to learn a bit more about our city’s earliest efforts at philanthropy which time and again have helped our community at large.
“Events like this are exactly what Salem 400+ is all about,” said Virginia Cherol, Salem 400+ Coordinator. ” The anniversary has given organizations a reason to pause, look back, and recognize just how deep their roots go — and in this case, those roots stretch back over hundreds of years. The fact that these six remarkable women’s organizations are collaborating on a public event for the very first time is a perfect example of that. This is what the initiative was created for — to use this milestone year to celebrate, connect, and remind Salem and the world of the extraordinary people who built this city and continue to shape it today.”
The organizations that are hosting the March 28 event include the Women’s Friends Society (WFS), Seamen’s Widow and Orphans Association (SWOA) the Brookhouse Home for Women, The House of Seven Gables, the League of Women Voters, and the Salem Female Charitable Society (SFCS). The gathering at Old Town Hall is symbolic as 2026 marks the 210th Anniversary of Old Town Hall, with one of our organizations in attendance (the Salem Female Charitable Society) established 15 years before the construction of Old Town Hall. Other anniversaries to note in 2026 include the SFCS (225th), Brookhouse (165th) and WFS (150th).
“This is one of those unique opportunities among our long-standing organizations to host an event together thanks to Salem 400,” said Lynn Frothingham. “As host organizations we take great pride in these early philanthropic institutions from the Salem Female Charitable Society, which began at the very beginning of the 19th century to the League of Women Voters in the early 20th century. The spirit of generosity and caring for others continues among the women of Salem to this day.”
Complimentary coffee and refreshments available. This is a FREE event and open to the public. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. and seating is open. To RSVP, email [email protected] or call Women’s Friends Society at 978-744-2137.
Founded in 1801: The Salem Female Charitable Society’s mission is to provide monetary assistance to Salem Women who are experiencing financial hardship. Our intention is to help empower these women to improve their lives and therefore improve the lives of those who may be dependent upon them.
Founded in 1833: It is the mission of SWOA to afford relief to individuals and families in Salem, Massachusetts, such relief to be afforded directly to said recipients or indirectly by way of gifts to recognize benevolent organizations that serve, at least in part, the community of Salem, Massachusetts.
Founded in 1861: The Brookhouse Home is committed to providing quality supports to senior women, encouraging them to live active, satisfying lives both at home and within their community.
Founded in 1876: The Woman’s Friend Society has been a positive and often pioneering force in the charitable life of Salem, Massachusetts, since the founding of society in 1876. Through Emmerton House, providing affordable housing for women, and the outreach work of its committees, the Woman’s Friend Society continues to contribute actively to the Salem community.
Founded in 1910: At the House of the Seven Gables, and Emmerton House we envision a nation where storytelling is a pathway to empathy, and history is a tool for transforming our present; where immigrants are supported and valued; and where positive change begins in our own neighborhood.
Founded in 1920: The League of Women Voters of Salem (founded 1920) is a nonpartisan organization committed to building a stronger community and championing democracy, with the goal of an informed, engaged citizenry.
Salem 400+ commemorates Salem’s quadricentennial while acknowledging the preexisting indigenous community and explores the opportunities and connections of Salem’s multifaceted history while crafting a vision for current and future generations.
