Spiritualism in the White House and the 19th Century

[Laurie Verge]

The Spiritualism movement during this period is really quite interesting to study. One of my staff members actually gives talks on the movement. Her first presentation was here at the museum, and we actually got a letter of complaint BEFORE the event from a minister of a local church protesting us even talking about it. The talk is historically oriented, certainly not proselytizing (bet I misspelled that one!). We were actually prepared to have protestors the afternoon of the talk, but they never materialized, so I guess my explanation satisfied the minister.

Again, it is another good reason for knowing the society and culture of any given era. With the death and dying issues of earlier centuries and the influence of folklore, etc., it is easy for most of us to understand how spiritualists could gain influence.