Conscience and Coercion: The Early Protestants of Amiens, 1530-1650; Traces of Their Lives – A gallery talk by David Rosenberg

Explore acts of resistance and official persecution of French Protestants during the early Reformation. This new exhibit from the research of Dr. David Rosenberg features the signatures of over 100 Protestants of Amiens, France, as well as the records of their official targeting for heresy.

This research demonstrates how French political and religious leaders surveilled and persecuted members of this new minority, while also illuminating the experiences of the Protestants themselves, including interrogations, exile, execution, and book burnings, as well as acts of resistance through civil disobedience. 

Tonight, join Dr. Rosenberg for a discussion of his research, the delicate process of piecing together an individual’s life from scattered archival clues, and the continued resonance today of this striking example of historical oppression.

Dr. David Rosenberg received a Ph.D. in European History from Yale University with a dissertation on the Protestant movement in Amiens in the 16th century, focusing on the attitudes of weavers and wool combers towards Protestantism. The exhibit “Conscience and Coercion” represents over fifty years of archival research on this topic. In 2013 Dr. Rosenberg was named a Knight in the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government, and he received the Medal of the City of Amiens in 2023 for his contributions to the history and memory of that region.

This exhibit will be on display in the 2nd Floor Lincoln Gallery from August 27 through September 25 during regular Library hours. Learn more at www.protestantsofamiens.com.

Registration for this gallery talk is appreciated, but not required. Please click here to register.