Massachusetts Witch-Hunt Justice Project

Massachusetts Witch Hunt Justice Project

Submit Written Testimony in support of bill H.1927

The Joint Committee on the Judiciary will take up H1927 in a public hearing on Tuesday, November 25, 2026.

Written testimony may be submitted by mail to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary at 24 Beacon Street, Room 136, Boston, MA 02133 or, electronically to Talia.Quinn@mahouse.gov for House Bills. All written testimony received by the Committee will be made publicly available, provided however, the Chairs may limit and redact testimony that includes sensitive personal information or information that may jeopardize the health, wellness or safety of the testifier or others.

This hearing will be chaired by Chairwoman Edwards. The Chair will limit testimony to two minutes per individual, five minutes for panels and reserves the right to call public officials out of turn. The public is invited to participate in this hearing, which will be livestreamed on the Legislature’s website. To register to testify virtually, you must provide contact information on this linked form by 5:00 p.m. on November 23, 2025. All those wishing to testify in person may sign up on the day of the hearing but are encouraged to sign up ahead of time at the link above.

By King of Hearts – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

Sign the petition to exonerate those accused of witchcraft in Massachusetts

Join us in supporting H.1927 to exonerate the innocent people convicted of witchcraft in Boston

The Massachusetts Witch-Hunt Justice Project exists to advocate for clearing the names of all people accused of witchcraft in Massachusetts. Those convicted during the Salem Witch-Hunt have been cleared with legislation. However, the five persons hanged for witchcraft in Boston have never received such recognition, and neither have three people convicted in Boston but not hanged. Further, no official acknowledgment has been made of those accused who were not convicted but who nevertheless suffered great losses.

H.1927, which was proposed by Rep. Steven Owens (Cambridge, Watertown), amends a 1957 Resolve which exonerated Susannah Martin, one of the people convicted during the Salem Witch Trials.

This new amendment will include exoneration of people convicted of witchcraft in Boston and also an acknowledgment of all others accused of witchcraft, whether during the Salem Witch Trials or at any other time.

We believe witch-hunting is just plain wrong in any form.

We believe that knowing the past is essential for understanding the present.

We believe that addressing historical injustice teaches us to recognize and resolve injustice today.

Click here to volunteer for the Massachusetts Witch-Hunt Justice Project.

Read More About H.1927

Read the Bill

View the original at the General Court Website.

An Act exonerating certain individuals accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts

SECTION 1. Chapter 145 of the resolves of 1957, as amended by section 105 of chapter 126 of the acts of 2022, is hereby further amended by inserting after the words “Elizabeth Johnson, Jr.” the first time they appear, the following words:- , “Margaret Jones, Alice Lake, Elizabeth Kendall, Anne Hibbens, Goody Glover,”

SECTION 2. Said Chapter 145 is hereby further amended by striking the words “in the year sixteen hundred and ninety-two” in the first paragraph.

SECTION 3. Said chapter 145 is hereby further amended by inserting after the words “The above named”, the following words:- “and other”.

SECTION 4. Said Chapter 145 is hereby further amended by inserting after the first paragraph the following paragraph :- “Whereas, Hugh Parsons, Eunice Cole, and Elizabeth Morse were indicted, tried, and found guilty of “Witchcraft”; and”

SECTION 5. Said Chapter 145 is hereby further amended by inserting after the second paragraph :- “Whereas, numerous others were named, accused, arrested, questioned, imprisoned, arraigned, presented, indicted and/or tried for witchcraft or familiarity with the devil, though not found guilty; and”

SECTION 6. Said Chapter 145 is hereby further amended by inserting after the words “Elizabeth Johnson, Jr.” the second time they appear, the following words:- , “Margaret Jones, Alice Lake, Elizabeth Kendall, Anne Hibbens, Goody Glover, Hugh Parsons, Eunice Cole, Elizabeth Morse”

Learn the history of the Massachusetts Witch Trials

Massachusetts residents were accusing each other of witchcraft by 1638, as seen in John Winthrop’s journal which states that Jane Hawkins was suspected of witchcraft. However, the first formal witch trial on record was not held until 1648, when Margaret Jones was convicted of and executed for witchcraft. Massachusetts executed 4 people for witchcraft between 1648 and 1656 and 1 in 1688.

Listen to or watch our podcasts, The Thing About Witch Hunts, and The Thing About Salem to learn more about witch trials in Massachusetts.

Honor the Victims of Massachusetts Witch Trials

8 convicted victims of the Massachusetts Witch Trials deserve to have their names cleared. This legislation will exonerate the following individuals:

  • Margaret Jones, convicted and hanged, 1648
  • Elizabeth Kendall, convicted and hanged, 1647-1651
  • Alice Lake, convicted and hanged, 1651
  • Hugh Parsons, convicted, 1652
  • Ann Hibbens, convicted and hanged, 1656
  • Elizabeth Morse, convicted, 1679
  • Goody Glover, convicted and hanged, 1688

In addition, all people prosecuted for witchcraft in Massachusetts will be cleared by the following provision:

SECTION 6. Said Chapter 145 is hereby further amended by inserting after the words “Elizabeth Johnson, Jr.” the second time they appear, the following words:- , “Margaret Jones, Alice Lake, Elizabeth Kendall, Anne Hibbens, Goody Glover, Hugh Parsons, Eunice Cole, Elizabeth Morse”

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