A capacity crowd gathers in the Jacobs Family Gallery to hear the conclusion of Moby-Dick

The 16th Annual Moby-Dick Marathon is now one for the history books, in so many ways. High media interest and unseasonably warm weather for January encouraged record numbers of visitors to drop in for a look-see. Over the course of the weekend (January 6-8, 2012) more than 2,900 visitors came to the Museum. Many stayed and listened longer than ever before to the book often described as the greatest work of American literature.

Among the more than 150 readers, many notables particpated, including Congressman Barney Frank, Congressman William Keating, Mayor Jon Mitchell and several former New Bedford Mayors, as well as Peter Whittemore, the great, great grandson of Herman Melville.

Nearly 100 guests enjoyed the ticketed buffet dinner in the Jacobs Family Gallery on Friday evening (January 6), which kicked off a weekend of activities surrounding the Marathon.

Following dinner, a lecture titled “Moby-Dick in American Popular Culture,” presented by the Melville Society’s Dr. Timothy Marr (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), was attended by 187 Melville fans in the Cook Memorial Theater.

Melville Society scholars were kept busy with questions throughout the event, holding court in the Wattles Family Gallery, discussing all matters Moby-Dick and Melville. With much good humor, they were also peppered with perplexing queries of the widest sort, posed by the public in the Stump the Scholars II program on Saturday morning. General order and alacrity of the proceedings were ably kept by the moderator, Michael Dyer, Maritime Curator, with laughs aplenty throughout.

Congressman Barney Frank

One highlight of the weekend was a performance at the Seamen’s Bethel by the critically acclaimed tenor, Jonathan Boyd. He performed the hymn from Chapter 9 to music by Philip Sainton, penned for the film score for John Huston’s 1956 film. Boyd will star as “Greenhorn” in Jake Heggie’s new opera, “Moby Dick,” set to premiere at the San Diego Opera in February. A contingent of museum trustees and members will travel to the West Coast to see it.

Rev. Dr. Edward R. Dufresne delivered an inspired reading of Father Mapple’s sermon on Jonah and the Whale in the Bethel.

And again, this year’s Marathon was live streaming on the museum’s website and was viewed by unprecedented numbers; more on that in another post.

The 16th annual Moby-Dick Marathon celebrates the 160th anniversary of Herman Melville’s literary masterpiece with a 25-hour nonstop reading of the book during a weekend of activities and events, January 6 – 8, 2012, including a performance by the critically acclaimed American tenor, Jonathan Boyd. Admission is free.

On Friday, January 6 at 5:30 p.m. the weekend kicks off with a ticketed buffet dinner and cash bar in the Jacobs Family Gallery. For tickets to the dinner ($25), call (508) 997-0046 ext. 100.

Dinner will be followed by a free public lecture titled “Moby-Dick in American Popular Culture,” presented by Dr. Timothy Marr, at 7:15 p.m. in the Cook Memorial Theater. Co-editor of “Ungraspable Phantom: Essays on Moby-Dick,” Professor Marr teaches American Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He serves as an executive member of the Melville Society Cultural Project and is a contributor to the Melville and the Digital Humanities project of the Melville Electronic Library.

On Saturday, January 7 at 10:00 a.m., “Stump the Scholars II,” returns by popular demand – a free program in which the audience is invited to pose questions to Melville Society scholars on all matters Moby-Dick in the Cook Memorial Theater. Patterned after NPR’s popular quiz show, “Wait, wait, don’t tell me,” prizes will be awarded to those who can stump the scholars.

At 11:30 a.m. in the Bourne Building, Melville Society members will read many of the 80 brief Extracts related to whales and whaling, which Melville included before Chapter 1.

At noon, the Moby-Dick Marathon begins with “Call me Ishmael” – the most famous opening line in American literature. With more than 150 scheduled readers, the marathon will continue through the night, ending early Sunday afternoon. All reading slots have been booked. The public is cordially invited to come and go at any time during the marathon, or stay for the entire 25 hours and win a prize.

On Saturday at approximately 1:30 p.m., marathon participants will walk next door to the historic Seamen’s Bethel (est. 1832) – located at 15

Tenor Jonathan Boyd will sing at the marathon, Jan. 7. Boyd stars in Jake Heggie's new opera, Moby-Dick, which premieres at the San Diego Opera in February. (photo: www.uzanartists.com)

Johnny Cake Hill for the reading of Chapters 7, 8, and 9, titled “The Chapel,” The Pulpit,” and “The Sermon” – all three chapters take place in the original “Whaleman’s Chapel.” This segment will feature a performance by Jonathan Boyd, the critically acclaimed American tenor starring in the San Diego Opera’s co-production of Jake Heggie’s “Moby-Dick,” a new opera hailed “a triumph” by the Dallas Morning News. Boyd has made recent notable debuts at Opéra de Nice and Opéra de Toulon, and has performed with opera companies throughout the United States. He will sing the hymn from Chapter 9.

Readers and guests are also invited to “Chat with a Melville Scholar” from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Wattles Family Gallery or take a guided tour of the “Imagining Moby!” exhibit with Dr. Robert Wallace, Northern Kentucky University.

Chapter 40, “Midnight, Forecastle” will be performed in the Cook Memorial Theater by members of Culture*Park, a theater and performing arts collaborative.

The Museum’s website www.whalingmuseum.org will provide live streaming of the marathon throughout the weekend. Tweet the marathon with hashtag #MDM16.

Three related exhibits during the marathon include, “Imagining Moby!,” “Visualizing Melville” and the 1956 Moby-Dick publicity panels. “Imagining Moby!” showcases the collection of Melville scholar, Dr. Elizabeth A. Schultz, including works by Leonard Baskin, Richard Ellis and Rockwell Kent in the Centre Street Gallery, Level 2. “Visualizing Melville” pairs items from the Museum’s collections with Melville’s vivid text, including “Quakers with a vengeance” and “a heathenish array of monstrous clubs and spears” in the Changing Gallery, Level 2. The 1956 Moby-Dick publicity panels feature movie memorabilia displayed in the windows of the Research Library.

Images related to the book will also be projected in the Cook Memorial Theater throughout the marathon, presented by the Museum’s youth apprentices.

A midwinter tradition, attracting hundreds of Melville fans from around the world, the marathon marks the anniversary of Melville’s January 1841 departure from the port of New Bedford and Fairhaven aboard the whale ship, Acushnet.

Refreshments will be available throughout the Marathon.

This year’s marathon is a program of MOBY! – a partnership of the New Bedford Whaling Museum, the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center and New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park to celebrate the iconic tale of the ‘Great White Whale’ and is funded through a grant from the Education through Cultural and Historical Organizations (ECHO), administered by the United States Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement.

Moby-Dick Marathon Weekend Schedule of Events

Friday, January 6

5:30 p.m.: Ticketed buffet dinner and cash bar, Jacobs Family Gallery.

7:15 p.m.: Public lecture, “Moby-Dick in American Popular Culture,” with Dr. Timothy Marr, Cook Memorial Theater.

Saturday, January 7

10:00 a.m.: Stump the Scholars II, Cook Memorial Theater.

11:30 a.m.: Moby-Dick “Extracts,” Bourne Building.

12:00 noon: Moby-Dick Marathon begins, Bourne Building.

1:30 p.m. (approx.): Chapters 7– 9 in the Seamen’s Bethel with tenor Jonathan Boyd.

2:30 p.m. (approx.): Marathon continues, Jacobs Family Gallery.

3:00-5:00 p.m.: Chat with a Melville scholar, Wattles Family Gallery.

3:00-5:00 p.m.: “Imaging Moby!” tour with Dr. Robert Wallace, Centre Street Gallery.

7:00 p.m. (approx.): Chapter 35 to Chapter 40. “Midnight, Forecastle” performed by Culture*Park, Cook Memorial Theater.

8:00 p.m. (approx.): Marathon continues, Jacobs Family Gallery.

Sunday, January 8

1:00 p.m. (approx.): Marathon concludes with the Epilogue.

Ongoing related exhibits: “Imagining Moby!,” “Visualizing Melville” and the 1956 Moby-Dick publicity panels. Moby-Dick slide show, Cook Memorial Theater.

Demonstrations will show how to make origami whales and reveal how other elaborate and elegant creations emerge from a simple sheet of paper. No prior skills are required to learn this art. Admission is free to demonstration and film.

Recognized by several international film festivals, Between the Folds, was written produced and directed by Vanessa Gould. Presented by Green Fuse Films, “Between the Folds” chronicles the stories of 10 fine artists and intrepid scientists – all forging unconventional lives as modern paper-folders. The film paints an arresting portrait of the remarkable artistic and scientific creativity that fuels this ever-changing art form, fusing science and sculpture, form and function, ancient and new.

"Ahab" by Leonard Baskin, from his "Moby Dick Suite" of lithographs, 1970.

MOBY! – The New Bedford Whaling Museum and the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center come together to celebrate the iconic tale of the great white whale November 3-5.

Imaging Moby!, an exhibition of contemporary art inspired by Herman Melville’s novel, “Moby-Dick” opens at the Museum on Friday, November 4 at 5:00 p.m. and includes works by Rockwell Kent, Leonard Baskin, and Richard Ellis. Admission is free to the exhibit.

Imaging Moby! is drawn from the collection of Elizabeth Schultz, scholar, poet, professor emerita at the University of Kansas, and author of “Unpainted to the Last”: Moby-Dick and Twentieth-Century American Art (1995). Dr. Schultz has been collecting art inspired by Moby-Dick for decades. A member of the Melville Society, she donated her collection of twentieth-century paintings, prints, and other graphic works to the museum earlier this year.

Dr. Schultz noted, “the special joy of having the collection at the Whaling Museum is that, along with the Melville Society Cultural Project, I imagine working with many committed groups to develop new ways of using these visual images to present Moby-Dick and the stories of whales to diverse audiences – children and adults, Americans and people from other cultures.”

A reception in the Jacobs Family Gallery in honor of Dr. Schultz will follow the exhibit opening.

The Imaging Moby! exhibit is part Moby! – a series of related programs in art, on screen, in the community and on stage to mark the 160th anniversary of Melville’s classic – in partnership with the Zeiterion Performing Art Center, the New Bedford Whaling Museum and New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park.

A silhouette of Captain Paul Cuffe (c.1812) and his compass (c.1800) will be part of a new exhibit at the Museum recognizing his life and accomplishments, opening Sept. 23 at 5:30 p.m. A new park will be dedicated in his honor on Saturday, Sept. 24. Lectures on Cuffe are also part of a two-day free public program, "Old Dartmouth Roots, a Genealogy & Local History Symposium, Sept 23-24.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum and its partners proudly present four free public programs over two days recognizing the life and accomplishments of Captain Paul Cuffe at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, September 23-24, culminating with the dedication of a park in his honor.

Paul Cuffe (1759-1817) was the free-born son of an African father and a Native American mother. A skillful mariner, he was also a successful merchant, philanthropist, community leader, civil rights advocate and abolitionist. In 1780 he petitioned for the right to vote as a landowner and taxpayer. He established the first integrated school in America and became an advisor to President James Madison.

On Friday, September 23, a genealogy presentation titled “The Cuffes and the Wainers,” will be offered by George Wortham, a Cuffe/Wainer descendant, at 1:45 p.m. in the Cook Memorial Theater.

At 5:30 p.m., the museum will open a new exhibit, the “Cuffe Kitchen Gallery.” The multi-media exhibit will highlight the gallery, which recreates an 18th century kitchen, the wooden panels of which came from Cuffe’s home in Westport. Funded in part by Mass Humanities, the exhibit will provide an opportunity to ponder the social and racial issues faced by Cuffe. A reception will follow in the Jacobs Family Gallery.

The evening will conclude with a keynote lecture, “Paul Cuffe, His Life and Times,” presented by award-winning Cuffe biographer, Lamont D. Thomas at 6:30 p.m. in the Cook Memorial Theater.

On Saturday, September 24, dedication ceremonies for Captain Paul Cuffe Park will begin at noon at Union Street and Johnny Cake Hill. Located on Whaling Museum property, the park is adjacent to the site where Cuffe operated his store, Cuffe & Howards.

The park’s designer, Nan Sinton, is a nationally recognized landscape designer, horticulturist and former director of public programs for Harvard University’s Arnold Arboretum. The president and co-founder of Sinton & Michener Associates, Inc., Sinton has designed gardens throughout North America and Europe.

The new park incorporates a large compass rose within an elaborate terrace of brick, bluestone, granite and Belgian paving blocks that recall Cuffe’s own ship’s compass – part of the museum collection. Plantings include boxwood; bayberry and sea roses donated by Sylvan Nursery, Inc., Westport, Mass. Construction and plantings were executed by G. Bourne Knowles & Company, Inc., Fairhaven. The park will include new interpretative wayside panels on Cuffe’s life, produced by New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. The Cuffe commemorative plaque and new lighting were funded in part by a grant from the City Works Community Improvement Program, administered by the City of New Bedford Community Development Block Grant Program.

The park site previously included 20th century whaling equipment including a 1936 harpoon cannon now on exhibit in the museum plaza, and a small garden given by the Garden Club of Buzzards Bay in 2003. Club members will continue to oversee the new planting.

All events are free to the public and will be held at the Whaling Museum as part of “Old Dartmouth Roots: A Genealogy & Local History Symposium,” which is funded through a grant from the Education through Cultural and Historical Organizations (ECHO), administered by the United States Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement.

Old Dartmouth (modern-day Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, New Bedford and Westport) is a region steeped in history. Family histories – some recorded and many yet untold – each represent a unique thread in this region’s rich narrative. Come and learn how to explore your family’s past and discover its role in the growth of our region and the nation. Be prepared for new insights and surprises. As Helen Keller wrote, “There is no king who has not had a slave among his ancestors, and no slave who has not had a king among his.” Old Dartmouth Roots will reveal the intersection of history, destiny and opportunity in Old Dartmouth, which has produced countless inspirational stories.

Partners in Old Dartmouth Roots include the New Bedford Free Public Library (NBFPL), New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, New Bedford Preservation Society, New Bedford Historical Society, and other local community organizations.

Old Dartmouth Roots will feature presentations from several expert genealogists and historians. Keynote speakers include Judith Lucey, Maureen Taylor and Lamont D. Thomas.

Judith Lucey is Assistant Archivist, New England Historic Genealogical Association (NEHGS), Boston. She joined the staff of NEHGS in 2003, after receiving a B.S. in Education from Northeastern University and an M.S. in Library and Information Science from Simmons College. In addition to her expertise on how to begin personal genealogy research, she specializes in Irish genealogy, Newfoundland, 19th and 20th century genealogy, Italian genealogy, and the history of Cambridge and Somerville, Mass.

Maureen Taylor is an internationally recognized photo identification and family history expert. The author of a number of books and magazine articles, she offers a range of dynamic, interactive seminars on photographs, genealogy, and history. Maureen has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Hallmark Television, “The View,” Better Homes & Gardens, the Boston Globe, Martha Stewart Living, MSNBC, PBS Ancestors, and more. The Wall Street Journal called her “the nation’s foremost historical photo detective.” Ms. Taylor will also be available for private consultations during the day for a fee.

Lamont D. Thomas is a Pulitzer Prize Nominee author and a retired university professor. He is a leading authority on the life and times of Captain Paul Cuffe. Thomas holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in history from Trinity College. He is the author of “Paul Cuffe: Black Entrepreneur and Pan-Africanist” and “Rise to be a People: A Biography of Paul Cuffe,” both published by University of Illinois Press.

Old Dartmouth Roots Schedule

Thursday, September 22, 2011

9:00 a.m.: Registration and Coffee – Jacobs Family Gallery, NBWM.

10:00 -10:15 a.m.: Welcome – James Russell, President NBWM.

10:15 -11:00 a.m.: “How to Get Started on a Genealogy Search,” presented by Judith Lucey, Assistant Archivist, New England Historical Genealogy Assoc. (NEHGS), Boston.

11:15 am-12:30 p.m.: “Panel on Local Resources in Various Libraries and Centers,” presented by Paul Cyr, NBFPL; Judy Farrar, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth; Michael P. Dyer, NBWM.

12:30 -1:30 p.m.: Luncheon – courtesy of the NBWM.

1:30-2:45 p.m.: Concurrent Sessions – Common Threads: (a) “Introduction to Portuguese and Cape Verdean Genealogy,” presented by Judith Downey, NBFPL, and James J. Lopes, NBWM; (b) “History of Jewish New Bedford,” presented by Judy Farrar.

3:00-3:15 p.m.: Coffee and Refreshments.

3:30-4:30 p.m.: Concurrent Sessions: (a) “Quaker Roots: the Rodmans, Russells and the Rotches,” presented by Judith Downey; (b) “The French Canadians,” presented by Paul Cyr.

6:30 p.m.: “Sitting in New Bedford with the Photo Detective,” presented by Maureen Taylor, photo analyst and family history expert. Cook Memorial Theater, NBWM. This lecture is made possible by the Samuel D. Rusitzky Fund.

Friday, September 23, 2011

8:30 a.m.: Coffee and refreshments – Jacobs Family Gallery.

9:00-10:15 a.m.: Concurrent Sessions – Unlikely Connections: (a) “The Grinnells and the Howlands; the Jacobses and the Knoxes,” presented by James Grinnell and Katherine Culkin; (b) “Cemeteries of the Old Dartmouth Region – Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, New Bedford, and Westport,” presented: Joan Barney, NBFPL, Betty Slade, and Judith Navas Lund, former Curator, NBWM.

12:30 -1:30 p.m.: Luncheon – courtesy of the NBWM.

1:45-3:00 p.m.: Concurrent Sessions – Family Ties: (a) “The Cuffes and the Wainers,” presented by George Wortham; (b) “The Irish,” presented by Andrew Pierce.

3:00-3:15 p.m.: Coffee and Refreshments.

3:30-4:45 p.m.: Concurrent Sessions: (a) “Wampanoag Genealogy,” presented by Andrew Pierce; (b) “Decoding the History of Logbooks and Crew Lists,” presented by Michael P. Dyer and Judith Navas Lund.

5:30 p.m.: Opening of the Cuffe Kitchen Gallery, NBWM.

6:30 p.m.: Reception and lecture titled “Paul Cuffe, His Life and Times” presented by award-winning Cuffe biographer, Lamont D. Thomas. Jacobs Family Gallery and Cook Memorial Theater, NBWM.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

12:00 Noon: Dedication of Captain Paul Cuffe Park, northeast corner of Union Street and Johnny Cake Hill. In the event of inclement weather, the dedication will be conducted in the Cook Memorial Theater.

Also: Walking tours of the National Park, shuttles to Rural Cemetery will begin from the Museum plaza.

Old Dartmouth Roots is free and open to the public, however, pre-registration is preferred. To register, CLICK HERE or call Museum Admissions: (508) 997-0046, ext. 100.

All events are planned to be held at the New Bedford Whaling Museum or adjacent venues unless otherwise noted. All events are free except as noted. Admission to the Museum Galleries is subject to daily pricing schedules.

The Rhode Show team broadcasted live from the Museum early this morning from the “Sitting in New Bedford” exhibit in Rinehart Gallery. Thanks, Fox Providence and Cardi’s for promoting the Museum!

CLICK HERE to view the two segments.

The monarch of Hawaii, King Kalākaua, stands with his entourage in 1889. They visited New Bedford in 1874. The New Bedford Whaling Museum will host "Aloha! A day in Hawaii, July 21." (Whaling Museum collection)

Not since King Kalākaua visited New Bedford 137 years ago with his royal entourage has the city celebrated Hawaiian culture as it will again at the Whaling Museum, Thursday, July 21. “Aloha! A Day in Hawaii” begins with children’s crafts from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Jacobs Family Gallery.

Glee clubs in Hawaii will be featured in a new film, “One Voice: Our Journey Begins With Song,” showing at 3:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in the Cook Memorial Theater. “One Voice” tells the story of the Kamehameha Schools Song Contest in Hawaii, a glee club competition, through the eyes of the student song directors as they prepare to compete in a glee club celebration of the revitalization of the Hawaiian language. In the stories and lives of these contemporary high school glee club students, the audience will experience Hawaiian culture as it has survived, flourished and grown through the universal power of music and song.

The ensemble, Napua O Polynesia, will offer a hula workshop at 5:00 p.m. on the museum plaza, which will include an overview of the cultural and historical significance of this dance tradition, including hula classes for all ages. Join in the fun, try on a grass skirt or lei and learn the traditional dance of the islands.

A dance performance at 6:00 p.m. will feature dancers, vocalists, ukuleles and drummers. Napua O Polynesia means “Flowers of Polynesia.” The Rhode Island based dance troupe was founded 20 years ago by artistic director, Carolyn Castro. The troupe performs Kahiko (ancient) and modern hula presented by both associate & advanced dancers.

Throughout the day leis will be awarded to any student who can pronounce the great Hawaiian king’s full name correctly and without stumbling: His Royal Majesty King David Laʻamea Kamanakapuʻu Mahinulani Nalaiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua.

“Aloha!” programs in the Jacobs Family Gallery, Museum Theater and plaza are free. Admission to museum galleries after 5:00 p.m. is “buy one get one free.” The galleries are open until 8:00 p.m. on July 21. “Aloha!” coincides with Joe Jesus’ Fifties Night Downtown, which attracts thousands to the annual car show and concert being held throughout the central business district.

Presented by the museum’s education department, “Aloha!” is funded in part through a grant from the Education through Cultural and Historical Organizations (ECHO), administered by the United States Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement.

Produced by Searchlight Films, director Ashley James tells the story of an “American Treasure – A Tribute to ‘Pork Chop’ Almeida, Master Ship Model Builder.” The 30-minute film portrays the art of a remarkable mariner who loved the sea and hand-crafted miniature vessels of extraordinary detail well past his ninetieth year.

From the “Gumshoe Historians” Hit and Run History series, the Cape Verdean Odyssey tells the story of Marcus Lopes – the nearly unknown account of the Cape Verdean cabin boy from Praia serving aboard Captain Robert Gray’s ship, Washington in 1788 who became the first person of African descent to set foot on Oregon soil and whose fate helped the U.S. lay claim to the Oregon territory. Director Andrew Buckley will be present for the 60-minute screening, which starts at 7:15 p.m.

Monday, April 18 is Right Whale Day, focusing on a unique but highly endangered species, the northern right whale. Hands-on activities will take place under the massive right whale skeleton on display in the Jacobs Family Gallery, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Walk inside a life-sized inflatable right whale and stand next to a life sized inflatable right whale calf. Challenge yourself in the coastal obstacle course as you attempt to survive the dangers right whales face in their migrations. Test your observation skills by identifying individual whales based on their markings. We’ll top off the day’s festivities with a whale of a cake and punch at 1:30 p.m.

Tuesday through Friday, April 19-22, will feature a children’s film festival in the Cook Memorial Theater from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Films will include Moby-Dick (animated and in Spanish), Monkey presents Moby-Dick, an animated puppet version of Moby-Dick, and Dot and the Whale, an animated tale of friendship. And a film titled Kohola Lele, a Hawaiian-Arctic whaling story will also be shown.

Spring vacation week activities are free for children to 14 years. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Spring vacation week activities are sponsored by Bristol County Savings Bank.