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.

Dance to a swinging jazz quartet, listen to a classical trio, enjoy some rock ‘n roll – or do all three.

Russell Morin Fine Catering will provide an array of petit open-face sandwiches, hors d’oeuvres, seasonal pasta, and sweet pastries – served with freshly brewed Colombian coffee, decaf, gourmet teas and a cash bar.

Tickets: $50 per person (children: $15, under 18 years), includes entertainment, food, and kids activities. Call Alison Smart: (508) 997-0046 ext. 115.

At 8:30 p.m., view the city’s fireworks display from inside the Museum’s newly restored Bourne Building. The evening includes a silent auction of wonderful gifts and keepsakes.

Proceeds of New Year’s Swingin’ Eve will support the education programs of the orchestra and the museum.

"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.

Pumpkin Head Ted

Kick off your Halloween weekend at After Hours with Pumpkin Head Ted – Friday, October 28 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. – under the whale skeletons in the Jacobs Family Gallery. It’s not your ordinary haunt. Come in costume early and join us for a monster of a party!

Admission: $5 for museum members; $10 for non-members. Become a museum member at the door and your admission is waived. Free food; cash bar.

Sponsored by Whaling City Sound, Fiber Optic Center, Inc. and CV Liquors, After Hours offers a blend of live music and sensational cocktails in an extraordinary museum setting every last Friday of the month.

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.

More than 120 guests and the public joined in the dedication ceremonies under a tent on the upper terrace of the Whaling Museum campus overlooking the park, which is sited on the southwest corner of the Museum grounds. The site is also adjacent to the location where Cuffe once kept a store in New Bedford, Cuffe & Howards.

Guests included many Cuffe descendants and numerous Native Americans representing several tribes in Southern New England. A traditional Native American smudge ceremony was performed by the members present to bless the park before local and state officials cut a ribbon opening the new park.

Native American song began the program with the Nettukkusqk Singers – Wampanoag and Nipmuc women from Rhode Island and Massachusetts  – performing women’s drumming and singing traditions from their tribal communities.

Students of the Paul Cuffee Maritime Charter School of Providence, Rhode Island, read brief essays on the life and work of the Captain.

Cuffe descendant Robert Kelley, Esq., was keynote speaker on behalf of the Cuffe family.

The Rev. Pam Cole offered an opening prayer and reflected on the faith of the Quakers – the Society of Friends – the of tenets of which Cuffe and his family practiced

Other speakers included: James Russell, President & CEO, New Bedford Whaling Museum; James Lopes, Esq., Vice President, Education & Programming; Daniel Dilworth, Acting Superintendent, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park; Lee Blake, President, New Bedford Historical Society; and New Bedford Mayor Scott W. Lang.

The Dedication was the concluding event of “Old Dartmouth Roots,” a free two-day genealogy and local history symposium at the Museum, funded in part by Mass Humanities.

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.

In its announcement, AAM stated that reaccreditation is awarded only after a comprehensive yearlong examination and peer review of all aspects of the Whaling Museum’s mission, operations and programming. “Accreditation is emblematic of many things, the highest standards in museum operations, outstanding public programs, and long-term sustainability among them,” said Ford W. Bell, AAM president. “Accreditation is clearly a significant achievement. But put simply, it means the citizens of the communities served by these museums have in their midst one of America’s finest museums.”

In her letter to museum president, James Russell, Dr. Bonnie W. Styles, Chair of the AAM Accreditation Commission, wrote “We found the museum to be a highly performing organization that has a solid strategic plan, excellent community engagement and is dealing strategically and realistically with budget hardships. We particularly liked the three-tier intern apprenticeship program. The museum is also a good example of merging history and science together in exhibits and programming.”

Mr. Russell noted the importance of reaccreditation. “We are extremely proud of this achievement. It validates years of hard work on the part of our dedicated trustees, volunteers and staff – evaluated against the strictest professional and national standards. This honor elevates all of New Bedford and the South Coast region, and it reenergizes us in the continued building of a greater, stronger Whaling Museum,” he said.

AAM Accreditation recognizes the highest standards in individual museums and ensures that museums continue to uphold their public trust. Developed and sustained by museum professionals for 40 years, the AAM museum accreditation program is the field’s primary vehicle for quality assurance, self-regulation and public accountability.

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.