Past Events

Before the first shots of the American Revolution were fired, the battle for independence was already being staged—sometimes quite literally.

Host Ron Mitchell of the Bay State Banner sits down with Boston’s civic and spiritual leaders to discuss the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the current state of the civil rights movement.

Guests:

Rahsaan Hall
Urban League of Eastern MA

Imari Paris Jeffries
Embrace Boston

Rev. Willie Broderick II
Twelfth Baptist Church

Brandon Ransom
NAACP Boston

GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond. The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.

Step behind the curtain of A.R.T.’s world-premiere musical Wonder at this special virtual event featuring playwright and MacArthur Fellow Sarah Ruhl (book) and Ian Axel and Chad King, the GRAMMY Award-winning duo A Great Big World (music & lyrics).

Join an intimate conversation adapting the Pullman family’s story for the stage from the best-selling novel and beloved feature film, crafting its pop-inspired score, and collaborating to bring Wonder’s themes of empathy, belonging, and kindness to life.

This event includes:

• Live virtual conversation with Sarah Ruhl and A Great Big World’s Ian Axel and Chad King 
• Behind-the-scenes insights into the creation of Wonder
• Audience Q&A 

Don’t miss this chance to hear from the artists working at A.R.T., the theater that brought Gatsby, Waitress, and Jagged Little Pill to the stage. Moderated by Joyce Kulhawik.

About Wonder
We can change the way we see. Auggie Pullman has been homeschooled his entire life, often retreating to outer space in his imagination. But when his family decides it’s time for him to start going to school, Auggie must take off the space helmet he has used to hide his facial difference. As Auggie navigates a world filled with kindness and cruelty, his parents and sister go on their own journeys of transformation and discovery. The musical is based on the novel “Wonder” by R.J. Palacio and the Lionsgate and Mandeville film Wonder.

Stephen Guerriero moderates a conversation on transportation, surveillance, and human adaptation in the age of autonomous mobility.

The GBH BPL studio will host Outspoken Saturdays, a spoken word poetry event for emerging artists. Every first Saturday of the month, the series will be created in collaboration with spoken word artist Amanda Shea. Join us!

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Boston-based guitarist, performer, and composer Andrew Stern teams up with bassist John Lockwood for a GBH Jazz Night at the Boston Public Library. Stern is a fixture on the New England Music scene, embracing a wide range of styles and idioms, as heard most recently on "Lonely Hunter," a solo guitar album featuring originals and interpretations of diverse musical voices, including Hank Williams, Neil Young, Miles Davis, and Duke Ellington. Bassist John Lockwood, a longtime member of The Fringe, joins him. Lockwood has toured with prominent jazz artists and performed with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra and the Buffalo Philharmonic. Performing together for over a decade, Andrew and John share a dynamic rapport that sparks spontaneous musical adventure.

GBH Jazz Nights showcase the incredible range of jazz talent in the Greater Boston area. The series is co-hosted by JazzBoston and GBH Music, taking place on the second Thursday of every month from September through May. Tickets are free, but registration is encouraged. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis, so arrive early! By registering, you agree to receive email communications from GBH Music.

GBH Jazz Nights are made possible by the Goldstein Family Fund.

In her first sit-down interview, Jessicah Pierre, communications maven and former chief of communications for Boston’s Mayor, Michelle Wu, will sit with Jimmy to discuss her journey, her experience, and what she sees in the world of social media when it comes to building trust in an age of constant content and navigating misinformation.

Guests:

Jessicah Pierre
Former Chief of Communications for Mayor Michelle Wu

GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond. The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.

Join us at the GBH Studios at the Boston Public Library for a night of NOVA science trivia! Get ready for creative categories that test your knowledge of science, from the depths of the universe to the history of science.

This month, we will be quizzing you on the biggest scientific breakthroughs of 2025, the science of sleep, and more — and we are excited to announce that we will be giving away tickets to the Museum of Science as prizes!

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event. Registration is encouraged for this free event.

This event is presented with support from our sponsor, Museum of Science.

GBH Amplifies:  Elevating unheard voices and real-life stories of many who have been detained by ICE in recent months in Massachusetts

The discussion will center around the unheard voices and real-life stories of many who have been detained by ICE in recent months in Massachusetts. We have compiled a panel of individuals who have first-hand knowledge of who these people are, why they were detained and what happens to them after they are arrested. These are testimonials and experiences that often don’t receive the coverage they deserve in quick tv news stories. Today, we will delve into the real-world consequences of those caught up in the immigration policy put forth by President Trump and his administration.

Guests: 

Jeff Thielman
CEO - International Institute of New England

Jillian Lenson
Senior Attorney – Lawyers for Civil Rights

Todd Pomerleau, Esq
Represents Allston Car Wash workers

Susan Church
COO - MA Office for Refugees and Immigrants

GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond. The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.

SOLD OUT!

Look no further for that perfect holiday gift, GBH book bundles are back!

This holiday season, we’re offering a limited-time selection of book bundles, curated for every kind of reader (with some even signed by the authors). Choose your favorite theme, or let us surprise you! These bundles make the perfect gift for the book worm in your life or a cozy to-read pile for yourself in the winter months. Each bundle will be delivered right to your doorstep in time for the holidays!

During this season of giving, let your next great read do more than entertain. Let it support the public media you trust.

All bundles contain three books. Give just $5 per month as a Sustaining Member, or give $60 all at once, and we will thank you with your choice of any of the bundles below.

Book bundles will arrive in the postal mail before December 24 for orders placed by December 18.

Claim Your Book Bundle Now. 

Thank you for standing with GBH. Every story we tell—and every book we share—is made possible by you.