Show Notes
Episode Description:
Massachusetts has an opportunity to make history, and you can be a part of it. On November 25, 2025, Bill H.1927 goes before the Massachusetts Joint Committee on the Judiciary. This legislation will exonerate 8 individuals convicted of witchcraft in Boston and recognize everyone else who suffered accusations across Massachusetts. Between 1648 and 1693, more than 200 people were formally charged with witchcraft in Massachusetts. Only 31 from Salem have been cleared. The rest have been forgotten—until now.
Co-hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack, who helped co-found the Connecticut Witch Trial Exoneration Project and successfully passed Connecticut’s witch trial absolution bill in 2023, share how YOU can help Massachusetts finish the job.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- The 8 individuals convicted in Boston who have never been exonerated: Margaret Jones, Elizabeth Kendall, Alice Lake, Hugh Parsons, Eunice Cole, Ann Hibbins, Elizabeth Morse, and Goody Glover
- Why this matters today: Witch hunts didn’t end in the 1600s—they’re still happening around the world
- The history of Massachusetts exoneration efforts from 1703 to 2022
- How Connecticut proved it’s possible with overwhelming bipartisan support in 2023
- Exactly what you can do to support H.1927, whether you live in Massachusetts or anywhere else in the world
Key Facts:
- 250+ individuals were accused of witchcraft in Massachusetts between 1638 and 1693
- 38 people were convicted (30 in Salem, 8 in Boston)
- 25 people died: 19 hanged in Salem, 5 hanged in Boston, and Giles Corey pressed to death
- Only Salem victims have been exonerated—the 8 Boston convictions remain unaddressed
The Boston Eight:
Five Executed:
- Margaret Jones (1648) – The first person executed for witchcraft in Massachusetts
- Elizabeth Kendall (1647-1651) – Falsely accused by a nurse covering her own negligence
- Alice Lake (c. 1650) – Mother of four, judged for her past
- Ann Hibbins (1656) – A widow, called “quarrelsome” for speaking her mind
- Goody Glover (1688) – Irish Catholic widow executed just 4 years before Salem
Three Convicted But Not Executed:
- Hugh Parsons (1651) – Conviction overturned, released 1652
- Eunice Cole (likely 1656) – Convicted and imprisoned, though records are incomplete
- Elizabeth Morse (1680) – Sentenced to death but eventually released
CRITICAL DATE: November 25, 2025
The Joint Committee on the Judiciary holds a hearing on H.1927 at 10:00 AM
This bill MUST get through committee to move forward. If it doesn’t receive a favorable report, it gets sent to “study” where it becomes invisible and inactive.
How YOU Can Help RIGHT NOW:
1. Sign the Petition (From Anywhere in the World)
change.org/witchtrials Goal: 3,000+ signatures
2. Submit Written Testimony (From Anywhere in the World)
Keep it short: 2-6 sentences is enough! Include:
- Why this bill matters to you
- That these people were innocent
- Why Massachusetts should complete its exoneration work
- Connection to modern witch hunts (optional)
Where to submit: Details at massachusettswitchtrials.org
3. Contact Your Massachusetts Legislators (MA Residents)
- Email your state representative and senator
- Ask them to support H.1927
- Ask them to co-sponsor the bill
- Tell them: “Massachusetts exonerated the Salem victims but left the Boston victims behind. Please honor all witch trial victims.”
4. Spread the Word
Share this episode and use hashtags:
- #H1927
- #WitchTrialJustice
- #MassachusettsHistory
- #mawitchhuntjusticeproject
- #EndWitchHunts
5. Get a Support Pin
Purchase the Massachusetts Witch-Hunt Justice Project pin on Zazzle (under $5) Link in show notes and at massachusettswitchtrials.org
Bill Sponsors:
Primary Sponsor: Rep. Steven Owens (Cambridge and Watertown)
Co-Sponsors:
- Rep. Sally P. Kerans
- Rep. William C. Galvin
- Rep. Natalie M. Higgins
We need more co-sponsors! Contact your legislators if you’re in MA.
Why Exoneration Matters:
✅ Honors innocent victims – They maintained their innocence; we’re their voices now
✅ Acknowledges injustice – This was wrong and Massachusetts needs to say so
✅ Addresses generational trauma – Families were destroyed; descendants deserve acknowledgment
✅ Recognizes colonial heritage – Witch hunts are part of our real history
✅ It was human agency, not the devil – People made these choices; people must take responsibility
✅ Confronts coerced confessions – A stand against forcing false confessions (still happening today)
✅ Stands against misogyny – 80%+ of Massachusetts witch trial victims were women and girls
✅ Connects to modern witch hunts – People are STILL being accused, attacked, and killed over witchcraft accusations worldwide
✅ Sets an example – Fear should not drive us to scapegoat vulnerable people
✅ Completes Massachusetts’ work – Salem victims are cleared; Boston victims deserve the same
Connecticut Showed Us It’s Possible:
In 2023, Connecticut passed House Joint Resolution 34:
- 121 to 30 in the House
- 33 to 1 in the Senate
- Bipartisan support across all political stances
- 34 victims absolved and official apology issued
- Led by regular people: descendants, advocates, history buffs who cared about justice
We documented the entire campaign. We mapped the route from decades of setbacks to legislative success. Now Massachusetts can follow this path.
Quote from the Episode:
“Mary Esty, one of the women hanged during the Salem witch trials, wrote a petition recognizing she was condemned. She told the magistrates: even though you think you’re right, if you continue this way, more innocent people are going to die. Over 300 years between Mary Esty and a survivor in a refugee camp in Ghana—and they were essentially saying the same thing.”
Resources:
📚 massachusettswitchtrials.org – Complete info on the 8 convicted individuals, how to support H.1927, full bill text, history resources
📝 change.org/witchtrials – Sign the petition, find testimony submission info
🎙️ aboutwitchhunts.com/ – The Thing About Witch Hunts podcast
🎙️ aboutsalem.com – The Thing About Salem podcast (our companion show)
🌐 endwitchhunts.org – Our nonprofit’s broader work
🌐 connecticutwitchtrials.org – Learn about Connecticut’s success
📌 Zazzle Shop – Get your Massachusetts Witch-Hunt Justice Project support pin
International Context:
This movement is global:
- Scotland: First Minister and Kirk of Scotland issued apologies
- Spain (Catalonia): Pardoned hundreds of witch trial victims
- Connecticut: Full absolution and apology in 2023
Witch hunts continue today in refugee camps in Ghana, across Africa, Asia, and beyond. When we stand up for historical victims, we stand against witch hunting happening right now.
Organizations working on contemporary witch hunts:
- INAWARA (International Network Against Witchcraft Accusations and Ritual Attacks)
- AFAW (Advocacy For Alleged Witches)
For Massachusetts Residents:
Your voice carries extra weight. The Joint Committee on the Judiciary needs to hear from constituents. Email, call, submit testimony. Tell your legislators this matters to you and to Massachusetts’ historical legacy.
You Don’t Need a PhD or Political Title
You just need to care and be willing to speak up. Regular people made Connecticut’s exoneration happen. Regular people can make this happen in Massachusetts.
These eight individuals have waited nearly 400 years.
Will you be one of the voices that finally brings them justice?
Podcast Credits:
Hosts: Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack A Project of: End Witch Hunts (nonprofit organization)
Listen: Wherever you get podcasts Website: aboutwitchhunts.com/
Companion Podcast: The Thing About Salem (aboutsalem.com)
Take Action Today:
Every signature matters. Every piece of testimony matters. Every call to a legislator matters.
Show up for these victims the way advocates showed up for Connecticut’s victims.
Because history isn’t just something we study—it’s something we can respond to.
Have a great today and a beautiful tomorrow.
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Listen and subscribe wherever you enjoy podcasts:
Links
Sign the Petition to Exonerate the Boston 8
The History of Witch Trial Exonerations in Massachusetts
About the MA Witch Hunt Justice Project
Purchase a MA Witch Hunt Justice Project Memorial Pin
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