Life and Work of Salem's First Printer Topic of Athenaeum Talk

Salem, MA - Dr. Matteo Pangallo of Harvard University, curator of the Salem Athenaeum’s current exhibition, “Samuel Hall: Printer-Patriot of the Revolution,” will give a gallery talk about the life and work of Salem’s first printer.

The talk takes place Friday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. at the Salem Athenaeum at 337 Essex Street and is free.

You can reserve a spot at the talk here. >>>

In 1768, Hall set up the first printing shop in Salem, Massachusetts and remained in Salem until 1775, when the Provincial Congress asked him to move to Cambridge to aid the patriot cause. An outspoken advocate of independence and a dedicated Federalist, abolitionist, and promoter of the art of printing, Hall is one of the many individuals who can rightly be counted among the founders of the nation.

Hall’s printing career took him to many places throughout New England, including New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Boston, Cambridge, as well as Salem. His publications ranged from sermons, court documents, scientific papers, and newspapers including Salem Gazette, Essex Gazette and Essex Almanack.

Matteo Pangallo, Ph.D. is a Junior Fellow in the Society of Fellows at Harvard University. His primary areas of interest are early modern drama and theater history, with a focus upon connections between text, performance, and reception. He also has interest in dramatic literature and the social and intellectual history of the book. Outside of his academic pursuits, Pangallo is a director and dramaturge who has worked for Salem Theatre Company as its founding artistic director, Rebel Shakespeare Company, and the Globe Theatre in London. He is also an award-winning book collector.