Theory and Writing of History

There are moments in history that are consistently recalled and commemorated as a result of their importance, but what happens when some of the most remarkable are forgotten altogether, and how can we effectively reconstruct these events in a manner that does justice to their significance? I was astounded when I stumbled upon the newspaper articles about the Boston Molasses Disaster and could hardly believe that I had never heard of it before. It came as news to me that on January 15, 1919, a molasses storage tank in the North End of Boston burst open and sent a wave of this sticky substance into town, destroying buildings and homes and killing those in its path. At first glance at the title of the disaster, I found it rather comical, but after extensive researching, I would find that it was much more than a funny name; it was a terrifying and fatal experience not only for the 21 people that it killed but also for the 150 that it left mentally and physically broken. In this paper I will chart the event, paying close attention to why the disaster occurred and taking notice of the civil lawsuit that subsequently followed. I would also like to take note of the “news frenzy ” that erupted at the time of the bizarre occurrence, analyzing the difference in facts provided by periodicals at the time and the resulting error and loss of truth that arose in the haste to deliver news to the public. I will argue that whil