View the full set Salem’s transformation from persecution to pride reached new heights as over 30,000 people flooded the historic streets on June 28, 2025, for the North Shore Pride Festival. What began as Dr. Hope Watt-Bucci’s response to witnessing discrimination in 2012—expecting maybe 100 supporters—has exploded into one of Massachusetts’ most vibrant celebrations of LGBTQ+ identity, creativity, and community.

As Salem prepares to commemorate its quadricentennial in 2026, the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) has announced an impressive slate of exhibitions and programming that will enrich the Salem 400+ celebration. These initiatives perfectly embody the core mission of Salem 400+ to honor our past, celebrate our present, and envision our future by weaving together the diverse stories of our community

Leslie’s Retreat: How Salem Defied British Forces Before the Revolution Two months before the first shots rang out at Lexington and Concord, Salem, Massachusetts witnessed its own dramatic confrontation with British forces. On a tense February morning in 1775, Salem’s citizens stood their ground against British Colonel Alexander Leslie and his troops in what would become known as “Leslie’s Retreat”

Experience living history this February as Salem commemorates the 250th anniversary of Leslie’s Retreat, a remarkable pre-Revolutionary War confrontation that showcased the power of diplomatic resolution in the face of mounting tensions between colonists and British forces. Salem Celebrates 250 Years Since Leslie’s Retreat. A Weekend of Historical Immersion and Celebration The City of Salem, alongside Salem 400+ and the

In a historic move celebrating Salem’s rich literary heritage, Mayor Dominick Pangallo and Salem Public Library Director Tara Mansfield have announced the appointment of J.D. Scrimgeour as the city’s inaugural Poet Laureate. This groundbreaking appointment comes as Salem approaches its 400th anniversary, marking a new chapter in the city’s cultural legacy. A New Cultural Milestone Establishing Salem’s first Poet Laureate

By Joey Phoenix  Everyone knows about Salem’s Witch History, but few realize the significance of its anti-slavery connection with its ties to The Underground Railroad – including a series of smuggling tunnels beneath the city of Salem itself, Frederick Douglass, and the Abolitionist movement of the early to mid 19th century.  Historical research and interpretation over the last few years

From The House of the Seven Gables The House of the Seven Gables — the historic seaside mansion built by entrepreneurial sea captain John Turner — has stood proud for 353 years. And 2021 is one of its proudest. The Gables will open to the public on April 2 — marking yet another historic milestone for a house that has

From the House of the Seven Gables Salem’s mayor, Kimberley Driscoll, states in her Women’s History Day proclamation that the city has benefitted from women’s contributions for more than four centuries, beginning with the Native American women who lived in the village of Naumkeag. Over the centuries, women took action on hard issues like slavery, voting rights, education, immigration, children’s

Mark your Calendars!   Join the Ranks!  Get Ready to Assemble! The 5th Annual Leslie’s Retreat Celebrations Will Look A Little Different This COVID 19 Year. Please RSVP with this ZOOM link https://masshist.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hONSJBKdTbSPY2NgIInRcQ The Leslie’s Retreat Salem Resistance Steering Committee is pleased to announce that on the afternoon of Sunday, February 21, 2021, we will be presenting “Revolutionary Congeniality while

Live sessions discussing Strange and Macabre History with a Salem historian and Podcast Host! **some mature content discussed** but no swearing, so my younger listeners can listen in!