On October 14–15, 2022, the Center for the Study of Guns & Society hosted its inaugural fall conference, “Current Perspectives on the History of Guns and Society.” With sessions on topics ranging from the history of firearms in Colonial and antebellum America to a headline panel discussion on history, race, and guns, the conference drew approximately 150 historians, museum curators, Wesleyan students, and others.
In one standout session, a group of Wesleyan undergraduates presented on their gun-related research, which included an analysis of back issues of the National Rifle Association’s monthly magazine; research based on 19th-century records from Connecticut River Valley small arms manufacturers; and a study of guns in political ads, conducted through the Wesleyan Media Project.
Read more in The Wesleyan Connection.
