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America
was young when Christopher Gore and his wife Rebecca moved into
their country estate in Waltham in 1806. Our nation's views on social
heirarchy and democracy were still forming. Prominent Bostonians
such as Gore - Federalist, governor, mentor to Daniel Webster -
fashioned themselves as natural aristocrats in the new American
social order.
In
The Gores of Massachusetts, you'll meet the Gores
and enter the social world between the revolution
and the Civil War.
You'll also meet Robert Roberts, Gore's African-American
butler. Roberts, like Gore, was trying to discover
his identity in the new nation. A leader in Boston's
black community, Roberts authored one of the earliest
books on domestic service,
The House Servant's Directory.
Combining
the techniques of historical documentary and dramatization, this
film uses Gore Place as a window on early 19th-century Massachusetts.
The film explores Federalism, agricultural improvement, early industrialization,
genteel refinement, the role of servants, and Boston's free black
community. Produced by award-winning
filmmaker Robert Tarutis, the film stars Robert Murphy and Micheal
Henderson. Running time: 37 minutes.
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