From the series “Illuminating the Unseen” by Old North Church, Boston
In this episode of Illuminating the Unseen, Jaimie discusses slavery in Boston during the British colonial period. How did it differ from Southern slavery? How many enslaved people lived in Massachusetts? How did Old North congregants participate in and profit from slavery? Jaimie looks at a 1755 assessor’s report, a newspaper article, and tax records to answer these questions and show how Bostonians’ connections to enslavement stretched far beyond the borders of the city.