Evening dress (detail), from the In Memory of Elizabeth How, Salem, 1692, Ready-to-wear collection, fall/winter 2007. Velvet, glass beads, and satin. Peabody Essex Museum, Gift of anonymous donors in London who are friends of Peabody Essex Museum, 2011.44.1. Photo by Bob Packert
Now open at the New-York Historical Society, the exhibit Salem Witch Trials: Reckoning and Reclaiming, shines a contemporary light on a time in history where mass hysteria lead to fatal injustice, and to have visitors contemplate how it reflects on race and gender, how it might prompt their response in similar moments of injustice.
The trials, which took place between 1692-1693 in Salem, Massachusetts, led to the executions of 20 people, most of them women, and the deaths in prison of at least five more. More than 200 residents were accused of witchcraft. The last of the accused, Elizabeth Johnson Jr., was only cleared of her charges this summer, July 2022.
The exhibit, which is organized by the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) in Salem, Mass, and is coordinated by N-YHS by its Center for Women’s History, is broken into three sections. The first opens with historical artifacts, rare documents, handwritten letters, and contemporaneous accounts.
The second features two reclamation projects. After fashion designer Alexander McQueen learned that Elizabeth How, one of the accused that was executed during the trials, was his ancestor, he went to Salem to study historical symbols of witchcraft, religious persecution, and magic. How served as McQueen’s inspiration for his 2007 collection, In Memory of Elizabeth How, 1692. One of the gowns from the collection is on display.
There is also a selection of photographs taken by Frances F. Denny, part of her Major Arcana: Portraits of Witches in America. Denny’s interest was piqued after learning that both one of her ancestors was a judge in the trials, as well as one was accused of witchcraft, Mary Bliss Parsons. The section includes an audio component, where visitors can listen to the voices of these present-day witches.
Finally, the third section concludes with how the Salem witch trials connect with modern life, inviting visitors to reflect on what roles they would play in moments of injustice. It also includes an immersive experience , where visitors can create their own tarot card.
The Salem Witch Trials: Reckoning and Reclaiming, is on display at the New-York Historical Society now through Jan. 22, 2023. For more information, visit nyhistory.org.