Black Boston: The North Slope of Beacon Hill Black Boston Highlights: 1638-1909 Text by James Oliver Horton and Lois E. Horton Reformer Wendell Phillips 1638 First enslaved Africans The largest African American community in Boston during the addresses an anti-slavery brought to Boston aboard the meeting on Boston Com- slave ship Desire. decades before the Civil War was on the northern slope of Beacon mon, April 11, 1851 (far Hill, in the shadow of the Massa chusetts State House. Al though left). 1641 Massachusetts enacts y R some black Bostonians lived in the North End and in the West End Body of Liberties defining legal o Col. Robert Gould Shaw, ST north of Cam bridge Street, over half the city’s 2,000 blacks lived son of a Boston abolitionist slavery in the colony. Hi CAN family, commanded the i on Beacon Hill just below the homes of wealthy whites. The historic MER y 1770 Crispus Attucks, an es- ET 54th Massachusetts Regi- i C CAN A buildings along today’s Black Heritage Trail® were the homes, busi- o caped slave, is first colonist killed i S ment, the first all-black mili- AFR in the Boston Massacre. F CAL tary unit raised in the North nesses, schools, and churches of a thriving black community that i R o o in the Civil War (middle). ST i organized, from the nation’s earliest years, to sustain those who H 1783 Slavery abolished in USEUM faced local discrimination and na tion al slavery, struggling toward Poster in Boston recruiting M Mas sa chu setts. Abiel Smith School the equality and freedom prom ised in America’s documents of African Americans for ser- vice in the 54th Regiment, First black private school Boston integrates public national liberty. MASSACHUSETTS 1798 1855 National Park Service Park National Interior the of Department U.S. Site Historic National Massachusetts 1863 (near left). opens in home of Primus Hall. schools; Abiel Smith School closes. Crispus Attucks, black martyr of Black Bostonians’ organizations, masters, Maria Stewart called ing antislavery protests in the wake After the Civil War many freed 1800 Free black population 1861 Civil War begins. the Boston Massacre, was the sym­ like the African Society and Prince black men to greater exertions of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850. African Ameri cans moved north. nears 1,100. bol of sacrifice in the name of lib­ Hall Masons, spoke out against on behalf of their race, William Black and white Bostonians took Boston’s black pop ulation in­ 1863 Emancipation Proclama- 1806 African Meeting House tion signed; 54th Massachu setts erty for black Revolutionary War racial discrimination and slavery. C. Nell spearheaded the successful direct action to protect and some­ creased from fewer than 2,500 opens as First African Bap tist Vol unteer infan try Regi ment soldiers who helped bring a free movement for school integration, times rescue fugitives seek ing shel­ in 1860 to nearly 12,000 by 1900. Church. formed, the first all-black regi- nation into being. Yet American Establishment of the African Bap­ Lewis Hay den defied southern ter in the city. Most newcomers came from the ment raised in the North. promises of freedom and equality tist Church and construction of its slave catchers, and Frederick Doug­ Southeast, some brought by the 1808 Hall house school moves rang hollow in the ears of slaves African Meeting House on Beacon lass inspired black men to enlist in In the Civil War black Bos tonians Freedman’s Bur eau for training and to Afri can Meeting House. 1865 Civil War ends; 13th Amend ment abolishes slavery. like Quok Walker, who sued for his the Civil War to end slavery. Hill in 1806 drew many blacks to formed the core of the 54th Massa­ employment as domestic servants. 1826 Massachusetts General liberty in 1783. With his victory, hear the church’s dynamic minister, chu setts Regiment, fighting to pre­ They expanded black residential Coloured Association, a black 1897 Robert Gould Shaw Massachusetts abolished slavery, Thomas Paul. Soon the center of In 1831 white abolitionist William serve the United States and de stroy ar eas, settling in Boston’s South abolitionist group, founded in Me mo rial honoring 54th declaring it incompatible with an active community, the meeting Lloyd Garrison launched his radical slavery. Boston’s blacks, mainly End and Roxbury. Gradu ally long­ the African Meeting House. Massachu­­­setts Regiment dedicated on Boston Common. the state constitution. Free blacks, house hosted a school, community newspaper The Liberator promot­ domestic workers, laborers, and time black residents of Bea con Hill 1829 David Walker publishes ing interracial antislavery alli anc es uniting families and seeking mutu­ groups, musical performances, sailors, created an active communi­ moved their businesses and homes The Appeal, an essay urging 1898 Black congregation at al support, concentrated in Bos­ and antislavery agitation. From and the protection of fugitive ty on Beacon Hill that fought for to that area. By 1930 South End slaves to fight for their freedom. Af rican Meeting House moves to ton’s North End near the docks these slopes Prince Hall denounced slaves on the Underground Rail­ better working conditions. They Boston’s African American community and Roxbury were home to most of Rox bury; meeting house be comes has traditionally lived in neighborhoods and sea where many worked. the ill treatment of blacks in Bos­ road. Boston earned its reputation joined other blacks and white abo­ Boston’s 21,000 African Americans. 1831 William Lloyd Garrison a Jewish synagogue. shown here. be gins publishing The Liberator. ton, David Walker exhorted south­ as a strong center of abolition dur­ litionists, building a campaign that 1900 Sgt. William H. Carney, ern slaves to rise up against their brought freedom to all blacks. 1832 Garrison forms New Eng- veteran of the 54th Massachu- land Anti-Slavery Society at the setts Regi ment, receives Medal African Meeting House. of Honor for rescuing the flag during the Battle of Fort Wagner, 1835 Abiel Smith School opens, S.C., in 1863. Boston’s first black public school; Fugitive slave Ellen Craft William Lloyd Garri- The slavery trial of John J. Smith, Boston replaces African Meeting House 1901 William Monroe Trotter and Boston antislavery son established The Anthony Burns (right) abolitionist (above left). school. begins publication of influential activist Lewis Hayden Liberator in Boston in Boston galvanized African American magazine (right). The light-skinned in 1831. He devoted North­­ern op po si tion to Sgt. William H. Car- 1849–50 Sarah Roberts unsuc- The Boston Guardian. Craft and her husband the four-page week- the Fugitive Slave Law ney, the nation’s first cessfully challenges segregation William Craft were two ly newspaper to the of 1850. black Medal of Honor x in Boston public schools. 1909 National Association for of many fugitive slaves defeat of slavery. recipient (left). the Advancement of Colored that Hay den helped After the trial, U.S. mar- BoTH: MUSEUM oF AFRiCAN Fugitive Slave Law re quires dEVEREAU AMERiCAN HiSToRy 1850 People (NAACP) founded, with keep out of the hands shals and a company of fugitive slaves be re turned to their overwhelm ing support of black ANNE of slave catchers. marines escort Burns to owners. and white Bostonians. © Jo a ship to take him back Afri can Meeting to Virgin ia and slavery ALL PHoToS LiBRARy oF CoNGRESS Boston African American African Boston House (left). (far right). UNLESS otherwiSE CREdiTEd THE BoSToNiAN SoCiETy / oLd state HoUSE Planning Your Visit Boston African American National tours, call 617-742-5415 or visit Museum of African American Historic Site works in partnership www.nps.gov/boaf. History The museum pre- with the Museum of African Ameri- serves, conserves, and inter- can History, the City of Boston, Accessibility Ask the park for de- prets the contributions of New and private property owners to tails. Service animals are welcome. England’s African Americans promote, preserve, and interpret from colonial times through the history of Boston’s free African More Information the 1800s. It also honors those American community on Beacon Boston African American who found common cause Hill in the 1800s. It includes homes, National Historic Site with African Americans in the businesses, schools, and churches 14 Beacon Street, Suite 401 struggle for liberty and jus- of a community that struggled Boston, MA 02108 tice. The museum operates against the forces of slavery and 617-742-5415 the Abiel Smith School and injustice. www.nps.gov/boaf African Meeting House. Black Heritage Trail® This 1.6-mile To learn about national parks Museum of African American walking tour begins at the Robert and National Park Service pro- History Gould Shaw Memorial and ends at grams in America’s communities 14 Beacon Street, Suite 719 the Abiel Smith School (see map). visit www.nps.gov. Boston, MA 02108 Ranger-led tours are available year- 617-725-0022 54th Regiment Memorial George Middleton House Phillips School © JAMes LeMAss Charles Street Meeting House Lewis and Harriet Hayden House Abiel Smith School at Smith Court ALL photogrAphs © susAn coLe keLLy eXcept As noteD round. For information about www.maah.org The American Revolution was a turning 54th Regiment Memorial (1735–1815), one of the original a barbershop that became a center o dist Episcopal Church (A.M.E.) slavery. In 1851 he was arrested, and African Meeting House deacon. 1835 Boston’s black children at- point in the status of African Americans Park and Beacon streets owners, was a Revolutionary War for abolitionist activity and a ren- re mained here until 1939, the last tried, and acquitted for the court- • Numbers 7 and 7A Joseph Scar- tended the Smith School, which in Massachusetts.