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Contact: Michael Creasey, 617-242-5644
Boston, MA – August 2019 marks the 400th anniversary of the first landing of enslaved Africans in English-occupied North America at Point Comfort in Hampton, Virginia, today Fort Monroe National Monument. The National Parks of Boston and its partners will come together in solidarity on Sunday, August 25, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. and join the nationwide, four minute (one minute for each century) bell ringing ceremony, to honor the first enslaved Africans who landed in North America. The public is invited to pause, reflect, and honor those enslaved Africans who arrived in 1619 and subsequent generations who endured hardship, possessed resilience, and contributed to the history and development of the United States. Bell ringing will take place at Faneuil Hall, USS Cassin Young, USS Constitution, Old South Church, Old North Church, and King’s Chapel.
Throughout the weekend the National Parks of Boston will offer programs to commemorate 400 years of African American History. These include:
Saturday, August 24, at 10:00 a.m. - The Glorious Struggle for Liberty tour will explore Long Wharf’s history with a focus on the central role Boston Harbor played in both the slave trade and the Underground Railroad. Meet at the Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park Welcome Center, 191 W. Atlantic Avenue, Boston. One hour guided tour.
Saturday, August 24, 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. – Black Heritage Trail®. Join a National Park Service Ranger and explore the history of Boston’s free black community leaders of the abolitionist movement who lived on the North Slope of Beacon Hill during the 19th century. Tours depart from the Robert Gould Shaw and Massachusetts 54th Regiment Memorial located on Beacon Street across from the State House, 24 Beacon Street, Boston. Ninety minute guided tour.
Saturday, August 24 and Sunday, August 25, 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. – Boston and the Middle Passage. Over 165 documented voyages set sail from Boston and nearby ports for Africa and transported over 20,000 enslaved people across the Atlantic. Primary source documents, such as petitions, maps, and newspaper advertisements, will be available for visitors to view and reflect on the indelible mark of the Middle Passage. Location: Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park Welcome Center, 191 W. Atlantic Avenue, Boston.
Saturday, August 24, at 3:00 p.m. – Rocking the Cradle: 1854 Fugitive Slave Act Meeting. Join in a re-creation of the historic meeting and argue the fate of runaway slave, Anthony Burns. Location: The Great Hall of Historic Faneuil Hall, second floor, Boston. 30 minute program.
Saturday, August 24, at 3:30 p.m. - Ghosts of the Revolution. Join a National Park Ranger and follow the route fugitive slave Anthony Burns took when his fate was decided and he was forcibly returned to his enslavers in Virginia. Location: The Great Hall of Historic Faneuil Hall, second floor, Boston. One hour tour.
Sunday, August 25, 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. – Black Heritage Trail®. Join a National Park Service Ranger and explore the history of Boston’s free black community leaders of the abolitionist movement who lived on the North Slope of Beacon Hill during the 19th century. Tours depart from the Robert Gould Shaw and Massachusetts 54th Regiment Memorial located on Beacon Street across from the State House, 24 Beacon Street, Boston. Ninety minute guided tour.
Sunday, August 25, 2:00 p.m. – Day of Healing. Join a National Park Ranger for a conversation on the 400th anniversary of enslaved Africans arriving in North America in 1619 and Boston’s role in the transatlantic crossing route known as the Middle Passage. Location: The Great Hall of Historic Faneuil Hall, second floor, Boston.
Sunday, August 25, at 3:15 p.m. – Rocking the Cradle: 1854 Fugitive Slave Act Meeting. Join in a re-creation of the historic meeting and argue the fate of runaway slave, Anthony Burns. Location: The Great Hall of Historic Faneuil Hall, second floor, Boston. 30 minute program.
Sunday, August 25, at 3:45 p.m. - Ghosts of the Revolution. Join a National Park Ranger and follow the route fugitive slave Anthony Burns took when his fate was decided and he was forcibly returned to his enslavers in Virginia. Location: The Great Hall of Historic Faneuil Hall, second floor, Boston. One hour tour.
All events offered by the National Parks of Boston for this commemoration are free and open to the public.
Day of Healing Bell Ringing Locations: King’s Chapel is located at, 58 Tremont Street, Boston, MA. Old South Church is located at, 645 Boylston Street, Boston, MA. Old North Church is located at, 193 Salem Street, Boston, MA. The USS Constitution and USS Cassin Young are located in the Charlestown Navy Yard, 3rd St., Boston, MA
Since 1743, Faneuil Hall has been a site of meetings, protest, and debate. Faneuil Hall is owned by the City of Boston and operated as a Visitor Center and historic site by the National Park Service. The Visitor Center is located on the market (first floor) and lower level of the building. The Great Hall is located on the second floor which is open most days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Admission to the site is free. For more information, call (617) 242-5644.
Boston African American National Historic Site, Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park, and Boston National Historical Park are managed by the National Park Service as part of the National Parks of Boston. Working with partners, the National Parks of Boston help to interpret and protect the natural, cultural, and historical resources of the City of Boston.
About the National Park Service: More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 419 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities.
-NPS-
Last updated: December 20, 2023