Bonnie Hurd Smith

Bonnie Hurd Smith has been writing and speaking passionately about women's history and local history (Boston, Cambridge, Salem/North Shore, Gloucester) for over three decades. Her inspiring talks and Unitarian Universalist sermons are popular with audiences because she "connects the dots" between history and our lives today.

In 2013, Oxford University recognized Bonnie as the definitive expert on Judith Sargent Murray (1751-1820), the feminist essayist and playwright from Gloucester, Mass., who advocated for female education and women's rights at a defining time in American history. Murray's work helped set the stage for the next generation of social reformers. Bonnie's first book on Murray appeared in 1990. She is currently mid-way through a multi-year project to transcribe and publish Murray's letters.

Bonnie is the founder of Hurd Smith Communications, a full-service publishing company located on Boston's North Shore.

With her late husband, Nelson Dionne, Bonnie created a book series called "Salem's Forgotten Stories." These books are based on material from the award-winning Nelson Dionne Salem History Collection, housed at Salem State University's Archives and Special Collections in Salem, Mass.

Bonnie grew up in Concord, Massachusetts -- which should explain a lot. She holds two degrees from Simmons College (now, University).