Virtual Lecture: Betty and Barney Hill - Three Ways of Looking at UFO's

Join us for a virtual lecture with Matthew Bowman exploring the ways the Hills’ encounter reflected the culture of their time.
In 1965, Betty and Barney Hill, a Portsmouth couple, were made famous by the publication of John Fuller’s book "The Interrupted Journey." It reported on their belief that they had been abducted by creatures from a flying saucer in September 1961. They were the first Americans with such a story, and it became the template for hundreds of abduction stories that followed. This presentation will ground their story in the culture of 1960s America, showing how the different ways people interpreted it reflected different cultural trends—conspiracy theory, belief in the supernatural, distrust of government—that are still with us today.
Matthew Bowman is Associate Professor of Religion and History at Claremont Graduate University, and was appointed the Howard W. Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies, with a joint appointment in history and religion, in 2019. He is a specialist in American religious history, with particular interests in Mormonism, new religious movements, and the development of the concept of “religion” in the United States. He teaches courses on North American religions and Mormonism in the department of religion, and on the history of the United States in the department of history.
Zoom link to be distributed by email on August 17th.
Please email info@portsmouthhistory.org with questions or concerns.