Charles Shaw shares the compelling story of James A. Butler, his maternal great, great grandfather who migrated as a young man from the Province of Nova Scotia to Boston in the mid-19th century in search of opportunity. A boat builder by trade and a likely descendant of the Black loyalist evacuation of New York in 1783, Butler arrived in the U.S. with youthful confidence and verve, only to encounter the dark side of the pursuit for the American dream.
The Logbooks
Partnership of Historic Bostons Event | Seeds of Enslavement on 9/10/23
Hosted by Partnership of Historic Bostons Sunday, September 10, 11am This year the Partnership of Historic Bostons delighted to mark the moment when Boston was named and formally founded on Sunday, September 10, 11am, with a powerful sermon, Seeds of Enslavement, by the Rev. Dr. Stephanie May as she begins her ministry at First Church in … Continue reading Partnership of Historic Bostons Event | Seeds of Enslavement on 9/10/23
Old North Illuminated Event | Their Chosen Faith: Women of Color in the 19th-Century Episcopal Church on 10/19
Hosted by Old North Illuminated Join Dr. Jaimie Crumley for a talk about how the dynamic between Black women and Northern Episcopal Churches shifted after the Revolution. Thursday, October 19 · 7 - 8:30pm EDT, online Register here In Dr. Jaimie Crumley's Fall 2022 Speaker Series talk, she argued that the women of African descent … Continue reading Old North Illuminated Event | Their Chosen Faith: Women of Color in the 19th-Century Episcopal Church on 10/19
Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, Inc. 44th Annual Conference: Hiding in Plain Sight on 10/18-21
"Hiding in Plain Sight: Recovering the erased stories of our ancestors in the United States and the Caribbean" will highlight methods of genealogy research and explore the history of ancestors in the United States and the Caribbean.
Call to Action | Survey about the Official Seal and Motto of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Contribute to the creation of a more inclusive state symbol In 2021, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker created a Special Commission to review and recommend changes to the Massachusetts state seal and motto. Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Boston are currently conducting a survey to learn about residents' understanding of the current state seal and … Continue reading Call to Action | Survey about the Official Seal and Motto of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
BHTNH Walking Tour | Port of Entry: Boys and Girls for Sale on 9/2/23
Visit local wharves and auction sites related to the Atlantic slave trade, where a captive could be exchanged for “cash or good lumber” to serve in a house or work on the docks or aboard a ship.
Wilton Public Library Event | Finding Pomp Russell
Hosted by the Wilton Public Library Saturday, September 16 | 2:00 pmWilton Public Library | Wilton, New Hampshire In this genealogical and historical presentation, Judy Granger will share slides of her research about an infant who was enslaved at birth in 1761. He lived in Wilton, NH, served at a decisive battle in the Revolution, … Continue reading Wilton Public Library Event | Finding Pomp Russell
Middle Passage Ceremonies and Port Markers Project Event | “The Malaga Speaks” tonight at 7 pm
The story of the Malaga, a 19th century ship built in Maine that transported captive Africans, was created and will be performed by Antonio Rocha. Told from the perspective of the ship, Rocha uses song, narration, and mime to weave his way through this historical tale that chronicles the history of the trans-Atlantic human trade and its legacy.
Bidwell House Museum Event | Religion and Slavery in Colonial New England on 8/26/23
Dr. Kenneth Minkema will examine some of the theological, religious, and biblical rationales for the institution of slavery, as expressed in the Puritan and Dissenting tradition inherited by many of the English colonizers of New England.
Center for Digital Humanities Event | Race and Digital Humanities Workshops for Local Cultural Organizations
Hosted by the Center for Digital Humanities at Framingham State University Local organizations, including GLAM institutions (galleries, libraries, archives, and museums) and other cultural organizations, are invited to participate in the Race and Digital Humanities Workshops for Cultural Organizations, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Center for Digital Humanities at Framingham … Continue reading Center for Digital Humanities Event | Race and Digital Humanities Workshops for Local Cultural Organizations
Event | Hidden Brookline Walking Tour 8/19/23
Discover the hidden history of slavery & freedom in Brookline Saturday, Aug 19th 1:00-2:30Cost: $30. Register here This lively 90-minute tour visits three sites telling the history and stories of slavery and freedom. Beginning at Town Hall, participants look for evidence of slavery hidden in plain sight. The walk continues to an Underground Railroad house to … Continue reading Event | Hidden Brookline Walking Tour 8/19/23
National Civil Rights Museum Event | Why Isn’t Remembering Enough to Repair? 8/23/23
What comes after we remember, from apology and forgiveness to reparations and justice? Rhetoric professor Andre E. Johnson, the Monument Lab co-founder and artist Ken Lum, and reparations leader Robin Rue Simmons join Zócalo and the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis to discuss what repair looks like, and how different people and places have stumbled and succeeded in its pursuit.
Recovering, Interpreting, and Sharing Black History in the Connecticut River Valley Event Series Begins 7/24/23
Dr. Ousmane Power-Greene, in conjunction with the Documenting the Early History of Black Lives in the Connecticut River Valley project, will deliver a free public lecture and 3 site-based workshops considering the history of Black people in western Massachusetts alongside recent scholarship on free Black communities, the Underground Railroad, and the Abolition movement.
Connecticut Freedom Trail Event | Not A Pilgrim or a Stranger Here
Amina R. Merritt, Esq. is an attorney and a direct descendant of Venture Smith who will be sharing her family's story and their work to honor and remember that history.
Hidden Brookline Event | Master, Slave, Husband, Wife with author Ilyon Woo on 6/20/23
Hosted by Hidden Brookline Co-sponsored by Brookline Historical Society and the Martin Luther King Committee Location: Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02446Date: Tuesday, June 20th at 7 PM Register here Hidden Brookline invites you to hear the true story of a couple’s daring escape from slavery. Ellen Craft disguised herself as a white man, … Continue reading Hidden Brookline Event | Master, Slave, Husband, Wife with author Ilyon Woo on 6/20/23
Castine Historical Society Event | The Singular Life of Mary Tyler Jackson on 6/22/23
Georgia Zildjian will explore the legacy of a life-long African American resident of Castine, Maine. Orphaned at 14, Mary Tyler Jackson (1850-1917) persevered and was a beloved member of her community.
Online course | Radical Genealogy: research skills for liberatory ancestral recovery 6/17 & 6/25
Online Training with White Awake Saturday, June 17 and Sunday, June 254-6:30pm ET (1-3:30pm PT)Suggested $50-175 registration feeNo one turned away for lack of funds Click here to register Sessions will be recorded. Live attendance is not mandatory. Facilitator: David Dean “The more I study history, the more I seem to findthat in every generation there were … Continue reading Online course | Radical Genealogy: research skills for liberatory ancestral recovery 6/17 & 6/25
Performance | A Slave Ship Called Malaga in Portland 6/10
The Malaga Ship Story is a tour de force performance by award-winning, and world-renowned storyteller Antonio Rocha.
City of Boston Event | Opening of “Slavery in Boston” Exhibit at Faneuil Hall on 6/16
Attend the upcoming opening of the Slavery in Boston exhibit on June 16th at 1pm in Faneuil Hall
Place Justice Event | Change the Name: Supporting Youth Activists in Advancing Place Justice
Don't miss this evening's Place Justice film screening, followed by a lively conversation with filmmakers, educators, and young changemakers who have replaced the names of enslavers with those of Black abolitionists and activists.
CCI Event | Confronting White Supremacy virtual Symposium 5/10
Don't miss the first ever Confronting White Supremacy virtual Symposium on Saturday May 20th, 2023 from 10am - 2pm