Marywood University Historian to Present Free, Virtual Talk on “Victorian Vegetarians”

Dr. Adam Shprintzen, a historian of nineteenth century America and Associate Professor of History at Marywood University, is presenting a free, virtual talk for the Maine Historical Society about the history of vegetarianism in 19^th-century America on Monday, January 13, at 7 p.m.

Dr. Shprintzen will look at the lively history of early American vegetarianism and social reform. Vegetarianism, practiced in the United States since the country’s founding, has been misunderstood and understudied, especially with regard to the early years of the movement. Through the Civil War, the vegetarian movement focused on social and political reform, but, by the late nineteenth century, it became a path for personal strength and success in a newly individualistic, consumption-driven economy. This development led to greater expansion and acceptance of vegetarianism in mainstream society.

Featured in national publications ranging from the New York Times to Slate, Dr. Shprintzen is a frequent guest on podcasts and radio shows. He is the author of The Vegetarian Crusade: The Rise of an American Reform Movement, 1817-1921. Presently, he is researching the history of the Automat and its place in popular memory.

While the Zoom presentation is free and open to the public, registration is required. This program is offered as a companion to the organization’s exhibit, Maine’s Untold Vegetarian History, which is on view through May 17, 2025.

To register for this virtual event, visit the Maine Historical Society’s event website: mainehistory.org/events/food-of-the-future and follow the registration link.