Number 97 / Fall 9 MHS Miscellany JQA, TWITTER CELEBRITY On 5 August 1809, John Quincy Adams began diary, a Simmons College graduate student a journey across the Atlantic that would end in remarked, “It’s like he’s using Twitter.” The com- St. Petersburg; he succinctly described the day ment referred to the social networking web- within one of his diaries: “Sailed in Ship Horace, site Twitter.com, on which users post updates Benjamin Beckford, from Charlestown to St. about their activities in a minimalist format: Petersburg.” On 5 August 2009, those 11 words no more than 140 characters. The idea made were broadcast to over 2,600 readers as a “tweet” its way to Assistant Reference Librarian Jeremy on the popular micro-blog website Twitter. Since Dibbell, who noted the serendipity of the tim- then, JQA’s online audience has increased at least ing—August 2009 would mark the bicentennial six-fold, and excitement about the sixth presi- of Adams’s voyage to Russia to serve as the first dent’s tweets has appeared in print, online, and U.S. minister. Determined to turn that casual on television. observation into a novel venture for the MHS, The recent appearance of JQA’s briefest diary Jeremy and other library staff began transcribing entries online grew out of a casual observation the diminutive entries in order to release one per that a visitor made during a tour of the MHS: day through JQA’s very own Twitter page, http:// shown a digital facsimile of Adams’s line-a-day twitter.com/JQAdams_MHS. The Society sent out a press release on Mon- day, 3 August, in the hopes that the convergence of historical manuscript and hypertext publica- tion would interest some news outlets— and it did. The Associated Press took up the story that day, and by the next evening at least three dozen online “ tweet” news and media sites had reproduced the “John Quincy Adams may be the best thing to happen to Twitter. This just made my day.” ashleywiers Periodical newsletter of the Massachusetts Historical Society MHS Miscellany 2 article. In Boston, Fox 25 News and WBZ-TV 4 News filmed special segments for their night-time broadcasts. “I’m now following you, The next day, WBUR (Here and Now) and the New York John Quincy Adams, which Times brought out short pieces, and in the coming days, JQA was a featured topic with Linda Wertheimer on is awesome because 1) you are NPR, Charlie Gibson on ABC World News, Rachel Mad- dow on MSNBC, and Wolf Blitzer on CNN. During awesome, and 2) you’re not alive, that same time, Adams’s “followers” on Twitter increased from 2,682 on the fifth to 8,661 at 7:30 on the sev- but Twittering.” branthansen enth. On Tuesday, 11 August, just a little more than a week after the initial press release, 12,888 Twitter users not only a diary but sometimes several concurrent dia- had subscribed to JQA’s daily updates. The audience ries. The complete 51 volumes, part of the Adams Fam- also had an international aspect: approving comments ily Papers in the Society’s holdings, amount to nearly appeared in Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, and Russian, 15,000 pages. In his line-a-day books—those being and one “re-tweet” located the sender in Seoul, South transcribed for the Twitter postings—JQA recorded Korea. each month on one page, writing a single-line notation The breadth of the response attests to the appeal of for each day. He wrote longer entries in other volumes, these “immediate” messages from the past—and from a where he could expand the richness of his thoughts on critical figure in critical events in American history. In a day’s occurrences. Between these two extremes, he also 1809, when the 42-year-old Adams embarked for Rus- kept other kinds of notes, from lists to short entries and sia, he had already spent more than a decade of his life even draft entries that he made in “rubbish” notebooks. in diplomatic and congressional service. After complet- For several years now, digital facsimiles of every page ing his appointment in Russia in 1814, Adams remained of his diaries—long style and short—have been online abroad until 1817 as the nation’s minister in Great Brit- in The Diaries of John Quincy Adams: A Digital Collec- ain. In less than 10 years, he would assume the execu- tion (www.masshist.org/jqadiaries) and transcriptions of tive office. His skill and productivity as a writer may entries he wrote from 1779 to 1788 are included in the also account for some part of JQA’s cyberspace celebrity. digital edition of the Adams Papers (www.masshist.org/ From 1779 until his death in February 1848, JQA kept ff). The Massachusetts Historical Society is an independent research library that collects, preserves, makes accessible, and communicates manuscripts and other materials that promote the study of the history of Massachusetts and the nation—a mission it has pursued since 1791. The Officers & Board of Trustees of the MHS Miscellany, no. 97 Address: Massachusetts Historical Society Periodical Newsletter of the Boylston St. Boston MA Massachusetts Historical Society 617-- www.masshist.org Chair Lia G. Poorvu William C. Clendaniel G. West Saltonstall Masthead illustration: Hours: “Plan & Elevation of the Tontine L. Dennis Shapiro The MHS reading room is open Co-Vice Chairs Crescent, now erecting in Boston.” From Joseph Peter Spang Nancy S. Anthony the Massachusetts Magazine, . All to the public free of charge, 9 Sheila D. Perry Judith Bryant Wittenberg images are from the MHS collections to5 4:4 Mondays, Tuesdays, Secretary Michael R. Yogg unless otherwise credited. The MHS Wednesdays, and Fridays, 9 to John F. Moffitt Hiller B. Zobel occupied the Tontine Crescent from 7:45 on Thursdays, and 9 until . to 4 on Saturdays. Treasurer Life Trustees William R. Cotter Leo Leroy Beranek JQA profile on front page, from Henry Lee Trustees Silhouettes of John Quincy Adams and For more information: Charles C. Ames Trustees Emeriti His Family, by Jarvis F. Hanks, Meridian Please call ahead or check the website 25 1859 Bernard Bailyn Nancy R. Coolidge Hill, Washington, March . Photo- for directions, information about col- Levin H. Campbell Arthur C. Hodges graphs on facing page by Laura Wulf. lections, reading room policies, Amalie M. Kass James M. Storey holiday hours, and special events. Pauline Maier John L. Thorndike Catherine S. Menand President Frederick G. Pfannenstiehl Dennis Fiori 3 Fall 2009 / no. 97 His historical significance and even the online avail- Party on 9 December. These special events will have ability of his words do not fully explain the excitement refreshments of a calibre reminiscent of the past. over JQA’s entrance into the blogosphere, since both If you are a Member or Fellow already, I invite you to of those were in place before 4 August 2009. Rather, help us bring new friends into the fold. Consider giving the attention that spread so suddenly in early August an MHS membership to a friend or relative during the appears to be due to the perfect synergy of message and upcoming holiday season. It is a gift that gives twice—to medium: before 5 August, the social web had noth- a friend or relative and to the MHS. And, of course, I ing else quite like JQA’s 200-year-old shorthand diary can think of no better gift than that of history. entries, unedited, and Twitter’s daily and instantaneous —Dennis Fiori, President distribution around the globe. JQA was a good tweeter: * * * the wine he decanted fills these new bottles perfectly. A message from one supporter testifies to just how the A Unnious Vote project has captured the imagination of so many: “I Slate Including New Officers & wanted to express my admiration for the fantastic and creative way your organization leveraged new technol- Three New Trustees Approved ogy to make history ‘come to life.’” We are especially The Fellows of the Massachusetts Historical Society, excited that this project takes primary source material to in their role as its governing body, unanimously approved where readers—especially younger readers—are today, at the 20 May 2009 Annual Meeting the proposed slate engaging them in a format they use but without having of officers, including a new Chair of the Board of Trust- to mediate the words of the original author. ees, as well as three new Trustees. MHS President Den- * * * nis Fiori said, “Our new officers and Trustees bring a wealth of knowledge about the Boston-area cultural and Fro the President historical community and a record of strong support for Fall is the second season of its institutions. They are just the infusion of talent we beginnings, vying with spring for need to meet future challenges with success.” that sense of fresh opportunity Trustee William C. Clendaniel succeeded Amalie M. and renewed energy. At research Kass, who will remain on the Board, as Chair of the institutions like the MHS, it Board of Trustees on 1 July 2009. Mr. Clendaniel has marks the commencement of spent over 30 years managing private nonprofit orga- the programming year, which nizations dedicated to preserving and providing public The Massachusetts Historical Society is an independent research library always brings a certain bustle access to the natural and cultural heritage of Massachu- that collects, preserves, makes accessible, and communicates manuscripts and excitement into the build- setts. The other officers approved at the meeting were ing. And this fall we are rolling Co-Vice Chairs Nancy S. Anthony and Sheila D. Perry, and other materials that promote the study of the history of Massachusetts out a comprehensive and varied Secretary John F.