"The shot heard round the world" in Concord, Massachusetts, marked the beginning of the American Revolution. Likewise, Concord's development from 1775 to the present day exemplifies America's evolution.
Rebels and radicals won the American Revolution. However, the elite still governed afterward. The following generations adopted scientific farming, large-scale finance, and industrialization. As new businesses and immigration brought more wealth to the elite, Concord thrived.
The early 1800s gave rise to lyceums, debating societies, newspapers, and libraries, where federalists contested democrats over how broadly to extend voting rights. Concord residents debated in town meetings while the elite created their own Social Circle. In this environment, the Transcendentalists, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, flourished.
In the mid-1800s, Concord abolitionists joined the Underground Railroad and partially-funded John Brown's attack on Harper's Ferry. Concord's militia were among the first to respond to President Lincoln's call for troops, and Concord's schoolchildren petitioned Lincoln to free their enslaved peers. Post-Civil War industrialization brought the town even more wealth.
Waves of newcomers have helped Concord adapt to the times. Immigration, social programs, two world wars, and Vietnam left their marks. More recent events--such as US global dominance, the end of the Cold War, modern medicine, Covid, America's fading empire, and the emergence of AI--will too.
In this sweeping 250-year history of Concord, author Jim Sherblom invites you to encounter self-centered capitalists, working-class heroes, brilliant writers and teachers, and outright rogues. Concord continues to reflect what America is becoming.
Sherblom, Jim: -
Reverend Doctor Jim Sherblom is a transcendentalist, author, mystic, theologian, entrepreneur, company creator, social impact investor, spiritual seeker, and laughing Buddha. Jim learned to research and write American history while studying under Edmund Morgan at Yale University, from which he holds a BA in history. Jim learned how to think strategically from Michael Porter at Harvard Business School, from which he holds an MBA with highest honors. Jim discovered and developed his spiritual gifts under the care and direction of Dean Sarah Drummond at Andover Newton Theological School (now part of Yale Divinity School), from which he holds a MDiv and DMin. Jim learned to be a biotechnology entrepreneur under the tutelage of Henri Termeer at Genzyme Corporation, where Jim served as senior vice president and CFO. Jim learned to be a social impact investor from Geeta Aiyer, founder and chairman of Boston Common Asset Management. Jim learned to tell meaningful stories in a decade as a parish minister. And Jim learned to be a flourishing human being from his wife, Loretta, the love of his life, and their two now-grown children. Jim and Loretta live a transcendental existence in Concord, Massachusetts, where his favorite and most frequent spiritual practice is to take long walks with friends, with deep conversations and soul sharing, in the woods and wilds of Concord.
