One Sunday morning, Reverend Hooper appears before his congregation with his face hidden behind a black veil. From that moment on, the small New England town is gripped by fear and suspicion. What secret is he hiding? Why does he refuse to remove the veil, even in moments of love and death? As the years pass, the minister’s shrouded face takes on a meaning that few fully understand, yet no one can ignore. The Minister’s Black Veil is a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne, originally published in 1836. Nathaniel Hawthorne [1804-1864] is counted among the great American writers. In addition to his psychological novels, with The Scarlet Letter being the most famous, he wrote a large number of short stories. Many of Hawthorne's tales are set in colonial New England, and he often drew inspiration from his own Puritan heritage.