Whether they live in Massachusetts, are a fan of the Disney classic Hocus Pocus, or simply enjoy Halloween, most students at Boston College have been exposed to the historical phenomenon that is the Salem witch trials. If you aren’t familiar with the trials, they were a set of over 200 accusations against Salem citizens for engaging in witchcraft, satanism, or anything associated with the devil, that took place between 1692-1693. 

In total, 19 men and women were hanged, one man was pressed to death, and five defendants died in prison awaiting trial. Despite the tragedy that occurred, the town has become a national treasure for Halloween fanatics and history buffs, with dozens of shops on every corner selling witch gear and tons of tours dramatizing the events that took place. 

Founded in 1626 by Roger Conant, Salem became the second oldest settlement in New England. The land was first occupied by the Naumkeag tribe, in which their survival skills were critical to the development of the town, however this peaceful relationship with the colonies was severed during King Phillip’s War. Despite disease, war, and the infamous trials, Salem has persevered and remained a strong community, and celebrates 400 years of being established this fall. With this celebration, the town acknowledges its interconnection with Indigenous tribes, its impact on American culture, and cases of hysteria, while promoting a stronger society for future generations. 

However, with Salem’s complicated history of persecution and wrongful executions, a discussion should be had on how to respectfully go about this event, in which we can have fun with the spookiness of the town while also recognizing that the trials took away so many lives and led to stigmatization of the victims’ families. 

“Despite many historians not being fans of anniversaries, I like them. They make us think about the origins of history, like I really enjoyed the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Specifically, it’s really great to broaden knowledge,” said History Professor Virginia Reinburg, who has taught “The Witch, the Church, the Law” for several years. “For Salem, I didn’t even know the town was founded 1626. The 400th Anniversary allows the public to know more about the founding of town, and for my class, we can understand the political structure that led to the witch trials,” she added.

There are a plethora of museums and memorials in Salem that bring light to their nuanced history. The main Salem Witch Museum intertwines the historical tragedy with its impact on popular culture, while the Witch Dungeon Museum reenacts trials from the time period, and The Witch House at Salem allows visitors to see firsthand artifacts and the home of Judge Jonathan Corwin. Although these museums are sometimes considered cheesy they do a fairly good job at showcasing the severity of which these trials brought distress to the community and ended so many peoples’ lives. However, there are some discrepancies that should be addressed to better portray the solemnity and hysteria that took place. 

First of all, there are some Salem residents who argue that the defendants who died awaiting their trials should be included in the memorial, with some believing that they can’t truly commemorate the witch trials until those victims receive acknowledgement from town leaders. Secondly, most of the shops commercialize the symbol of the “modern witch,” which strays from the seriousness of the event and erases some of the injustices that took place. 

Professor Reinberg discussed how almost all of the more serious memorials and landmarks are outside the city of Salem, including the Witchcraft Victims’ Memorial and victim Rebecca Nurse’s estate—all of which raise the question of whether Salem is taking their dark history seriously, and whether there is more work to be done to portray this event as not just symbolic but completely horrific and full of injustice through illegitimate trials. Some propose increased awareness towards descendants of the victims, less emphasis on the entertainment industry, or a broader curriculum taught on the events in the education sector. 

In comparison to other historical commemorations, such as the Boston Irish Famine Memorial, which shines light on the injustices that occurred, there is some discrepancy with Salem’s solemnity of the tragedy. However, Salem’s balance of commemoration and commercialization is on par with some other common sites, including several Titanic exhibits that market off victims and their keepsakes. In actuality, Salem’s complicated history and tourism economy isn’t a concern for its own sake but highlights the broader issues of marketing off death, oppression and violence. Yet, Salem’s proximity to Boston College, seasonal significance, and connection to such a variety of societal topics makes the city a primary example of this grey area and boundary that communities should address.

While there are arguably some improvements to be made and conversations to be had, there isn’t one way to correctly commemorate Salem’s intertwined history with the larger witch hunt that affected thousands in the 15th through 18th centuries. However, there are opportunities to reflect on its importance in history and in current-day communities, and discuss its connection to broader societal issues, including but not limited to misogyny, fear of “the other,” political and religious fragmentation, literary discourse, criminal justice, and multifaceted hierarchies. Reflecting on this event, and others similar to it, may not bring justice to those victimized, but it does allow opportunities to advocate for marginalized voices and prevent similar hysterias from reoccurring. 

There is indeed a fascinating element to tracing New England’s history of colonial mysteries and supernatural elements, as the public has just seen in the hit television series Widow’s Bay. However, there is a responsibility the public has in recognizing the gravity behind these stories and paying attention to the way in which they affect society even today.

Ava Radovic

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