CATHI BELCHER, left, is the guide and overseer of the Stowe House on Federal Street in Brunswick and will speak Feb. 9, at The Brunswick Inn in a presentation titled “Harriet Beecher Stowe: Outspoken Advocate.” To the right are two vintage post cards of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s former residence on Federal Street in Brunswick. The top image is an edited image of Harriet Beecher Stowe courtesy of the Bowdoin College Library.
Cathi Belcher reveals how Stowe’s legacy can inspire action today
Cathi Belcher has always felt a kinship with 19th century author Harriet Beecher Stowe, and is an expert on her work and history. On Feb. 9 at 5:30 p.m., Belcher will be speaking at The Brunswick Inn for a presentation titled “Harriet Beecher Stowe: Outspoken Advocate.” The presentation, part of Pejepscot Historical Society’s “History Happy Hour” series, will touch upon Stowe’s strong opposition slavery and how her advocacy can inspire folks in 2017.
Belcher is Bowdoin College’s guide and overseer of the Stowe House on Federal Street in Brunswick and host of the ‘Tea With Harriet’ monthly history talk. She recently sat down with The Times Record in Harriet’s Writing Room — where Stowe was said to have penned the bulk of her anti-slavery novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” — to talk about her presentation and how Stowe’s writings and actions relate to modern times.
The Times Record: How long have you been studying Harriet Beecher Stowe?
Cathi Belcher: I’ve loved her since high school. We actually have a lot in common. We both have large families, we both home schooled our kids. I come from a background of a kind of social activism, and so does she. We both lost a child, we both love gardening and we both love writing.
I haven’t written my “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” yet, but that’s not to say I won’t. I feel a real kinship with Stowe, and especially just being here in her writing room and knowing that she had all those children. She had six little kids, and she had a school of students right at the house. This was a busy place. And we’re all busy, but at some point you’ve just got to do what you think you need to do. There’s always going to be excuses.
TR: Tell us about Stowe’s advocacy and what you’re trying to covey in your presentation. Why are these ideas so important in current times?
CB: I think Stowe’s advocacy is a very relevant topic because now more than ever people need to speak up, and she’s a great inspiration in that way. One of the things I want to concentrate on is making this relevant to 21st century life. Her books are wonderful, but how do they relate in a real way to people now? I think they really do because she was such an outspoken advocate. Her gift was writing, and even though she didn’t write about slavery until she was older, she grew up in an abolitionist family. At some point she felt like she just had to step up and speak about this, and she did. And just one person’s words had such a far reaching effect. I think all of us underestimate how important our thoughts and our feelings and beliefs are.
Look at the Women’s March. … Someone wrote on social media somewhere that “I’m tired of this, I’m just going to go to Washington and protest and march the day after the election,” and then it just snowballed. It’s phenomenal. The next day I just had goosebumps. There were scientists in Antarctica marching.
People have not really changed since the 19th century. Some of the issues have changed but some are still pretty relevant. That’s part of what I see my job here being.
TR: What are some of the topics you’ll be covering in your presentation?
CB: I’m going to talk a lot about the Women’s March. We all believe in certain things. I’m an advocate for standing up for democracy, but now we’re just kind of perched at a time in history where we can’t take anything for granted. We’ve kind of been coasting along and thinking it’s always going to be this way, but it’s only what we make it. Free speech, standing up for what you believe in, human rights — these are very important issues right now.
Harriet’s sister, Katherine — who I’ll be talking about at the next Tea For Harriet in February — was very outspoken as well. Where Harriet wrote more fictional works, Katherine was an educational reformer, and had very strong views and worked tirelessly. She was a real force of nature. She’s another example and I’ll tie her into the speech somehow. She came from a large family. All of them were very bright, a lot of them became pastors and were outspoken in their own beliefs.
My whole purpose of talking is so we can look to Harriet as a great inspiration, but we have that responsibly, too. It doesn’t stop. I think we need to be advocates more than ever right now.
TR: Can you be an advocate no matter your age or circumstances?
CB: Students come to the Stowe House and ask about advocacy, and I’ve also had groups and inquiries of groups from retirement homes, older people who want to come and see the house. I think it’s important that, no matter how old you are, to think about “what is it that’s important to me, what do I feel so strongly about, what are my gifts and how can I share them in some way.” I think it’s really vital that we do that. Age is just a number. Finding your voice, whatever that means to you, whatever your call is, doesn’t depend on age. Harriet’s voice — with “Uncle Tom’s Cabin’s” success — was anti-slavery. But for you, it could be anything.
Catch Belcher’s presentation, “Harriet Beecher Stowe: Outspoken Advocate,” on Thursday, Feb. 9. For more information, visit pejepscothistoricalsociety.org.
bgoodridge@timesrecord.com
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