Cotton Mather and the Salem Witch Trials: Separating Fact from Fiction

Boston’s Reverend Cotton Mather has often been portrayed as an instigator of the Salem trials and a witch hunter. But what exactly was his role in 1692, and why has he been such a polarizing figure? Join us for a virtual roundtable discussion with Salem witch trials historian Marilynne Roach, Rachel Christ-Doane (Director of Education at the Salem Witch Museum), and Tricia Peone (Project Director of New England’s Hidden Histories at the Congregational Library & Archives). This discussion will focus on Cotton Mather’s writings about witchcraft, misconceptions about his role in the Salem witch trials, and his legacy today.