Shakerpedia

07/15/2026

07/04/2026

American Revolution veteran Issachar Bates first encountered Ann Lee in 1782 in Massachusetts. About a decade later, he became a Shaker. He wrote a fifteen versed hymn called "Right of Conscience," that begins by casting George Washington in a prophetic light, guided by the Shaker's dual-gendered godhead. As the hymn continues, Bates challenges the listener to live out the full promise of their newly acquired rights. He reminds his fellow Americans that the work is not complete, that the promise of American freedom cannot be fulfilled until ALL AMERICANS have equal rights and freedoms. The Shakers strove for perfection, but understood that that required constant, ongoing work. 250 years on, we continue to strive to live out the full promise of those freedoms.

03/30/2026

The round barn at Hancock Shaker Village in Hancock, Massachusetts, in 1962 and 2023. The barn was built in 1826, and it was used by the local Shaker community until the village closed in 1960 amid dwindling numbers of Shakers. By that point the barn was badly deteriorated, with large cracks in the stone walls, as shown in the first photo.

In 1968, the barn underwent a major restoration, which included dismantling the exterior walls, repairing the foundation, and then reconstructing the walls using the original stones. Today it stands as the centerpiece of the Hancock Shaker Village museum, and it is one of the most recognizable and distinctive architectural landmarks of the area.

02/28/2026

The Testament of Ann Lee~ The extraordinary true legend of Ann Lee, founder of the devotional sect known as the Shakers.

Showing tonight at Smitty's Cinema in Sanford:
https://www.smittyscinema.com/movie/THE-TESTAMENT-OF-ANN-LEE

02/11/2026

“Shakers on the Kentucky Frontier: The Founding of South Union”

A day-long symposium of presentations on topics related to the early history of South Union. Noted Shaker scholars Dr. Carol Medlicott, Dr. Doug Winiarski and Christian Goodwillie will explore what drew the Shakers to Kentucky and the fascinating early days of growth of the community. Event includes continental breakfast, lunch and behind-the-scenes tour of recent SUSV restorations projects.
8AM-4PM / May 16, 2026 / $50 - https://mailchi.mp/ff5d4d084cd9/shaker-symposium-2026

02/04/2026

Which parts of the movie are rooted in history, and which are the speculative stuff of Lee lore?

02/02/2026

02/01/2026

01/29/2026

Unfortunately, many of you may not be able to read this without a subscription: if you can though, here it is:

A show at ICA Philadelphia joins a surge of Shaker-inspired projects: films, dances, a museum’s expansion. Refracted through new interpreters, Shaker culture bends, and twists.