Lowell Lecture
An Evening with Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
Date & Time
April 17, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Location
Old South Meeting House
310 Washington Street Boston, MA 02108
Driving Directions
Speaker(s)
Bob Cordy needs little introduction in this venue —or in the world of Massachusetts jurisprudence. A former board member of Revolutionary Spaces, Bob served 16 years as an Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, our state’s highest court, and, notably, held the Court’s Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. seat during his tenure there. Until recently a partner at the law firm of McDermott, Will & Emery, Bob now sits in judgment of New Hampshire’s White Mountains.
Richard “RJ” Lyman is a lawyer in Boston. He is also author of the new Substack newsletter “History, Looking Ahead,” which explores various aspects of the past in Boston, the Commonwealth, and beyond, with particular focus on their continuing relevance to the challenges and opportunities of today. He previously served as a senior advisor to former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld and currently serves on various for-profit and nonprofit boards. For 20 years, he lived next to Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.’s summer house in Beverly Farms.
Dr. Todd Peppers is a political science professor in the Department of Public Affairs at Roanoke College as well as a visiting professor of law at the Washington and Lee School of Law. He earned his undergraduate degree at Washington and Lee University, his JD at the University of Virginia School of Law, and his PhD in Political Science at Emory University. His areas of research and writing include the death penalty (he has co-authored three books on the topic) and Supreme Court history. His first play, Holmes, premiered in 2023. Dr. Peppers is currently working on a biography of Chief Justice Warren E. Burger.
Ed O’Connell is the Civic Engagement Manager at Revolutionary Spaces. A lawyer by training, a civic education advocate by profession, and a Holmes devotee by ardent avocation, O’Connell is also responsible for overseeing the slate of public programs at Revolutionary Spaces.
Presenting Organization
Topics
Contact
Ed O'Connell (info@revolutionaryspaces.org, 6177201713)
Revolutionary Spaces is pleased to be partnering with the Supreme Court Historical Society for the premiere Boston screening of the Society’s film on the life and times of Boston’s own Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., acclaimed jurist, scholar, and Civil War veteran. Originally performed at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. in 2023 to a sold out audience, Holmes: The Film showcases the famously long-serving U.S. Supreme Justice as a man shaped by his times, upbringing, and experiences. In turn, he helped shape constitutional law, public policy, and society as a whole by virtue of his principles and the jurisprudence that gave them life and lasting significance.
Join us at Old South Meeting House on Thursday, April 17, for this 60-minute historical drama that depicts Holmes looking back at his life on the battlefield and the bench on his 90th birthday in 1931. Following the film, engage in a compelling conversation with our evening’s panelists—retired Supreme Judicial Court Associate Justice Robert Cordy, Boston lawyer RJ Lyman, and the film’s screenwriter, Todd Peppers. Moderator Ed O’Connell, Revolutionary Spaces Civic Engagement Manager, will introduce the film and host the post-film discussion, followed by an audience Q&A.
An Evening with Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. is free and open to the public thanks in part to the generous support of the Lowell Institute. Doors will open at 6:00 PM and the program will begin at 6:30 PM. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.