Date(s): 06/10/2021
Time: 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

“At His Request Put Into Print:” Customers of the Press & Puzzles of Printing at Ephrata Cloister

Presented by Michael Showalter, Museum Educator

Many people are familiar with the Martyrs’ Mirror, the largest book printed in colonial America. The Brothers published the book at the request of Pennsylvania Mennonites. However, Mennonites were not the only customers from outside the community, and not everything printed was in German. People outside Ephrata commissioned about half of the items printed in the 47 years the Brothers operated their printing house. Looking at these works for outside customers raises many questions. Who were these people from beyond Ephrata? Why did they come here? What did they want printed? Deeper questions also emerge from these publications. What was the relationship between the customers and Ephrata? What was Ephrata’s relationship with the ideas in these commissioned works? What might these works tell us about Ephrata? There are also a few familiar and unfamiliar names that appear on a few title pages. Join Museum Educator Michael Showalter on May 13 at 7:00 p.m. for the next Virtual Ephrata Academy program as we explore these publications and the questions they generate. This talk will complement the forthcoming virtual exhibit soon to appear on our website. 

This is a FREE program, but you must register using this link. You will receive an email with a link to use to join the Zoom call. This program will be recorded and put on our YouTube page to view at your leisure along with past Ephrata Academy presentations.