Audio
Activity 7: Community Activism
Transcript
Cuba Vassall and her family became activists. In 1780, Tony and Cuba Vassall fought for their family’s rights. They successfully petitioned the Massachusetts legislature for a yearly payment from their former enslaver’s estate. Here’s some of their original petition:
“Though dwelling in a land of freedom, both himself and his wife have spent almost sixty years of their lives in slavery…. [One hopes] that they shall not be denied the sweets of freedom the remainder of their days by being reduced to the painful necessity of begging for bread.”
Later, their son Darby and his siblings became activists too. They fought for the end of slavery in the United States, civil rights, and education. In 1812 Darby Vassall and his friends created this petition to fund public education for Black students:
The blessings of educations have been extended to the children of themselves and other people of colour in this town, but not in so general a manner as is believed to be practicable; that they, and others…have been several years united as an African School association, and have provided an instructor, from whose laboring much benefit has resulted to the town
Talk to the people you’re visiting the park with: what’s a positive change you’d like to help make in your own community?
Description
Learn about the community activism of Darby Vassall and his family, and make a plan for positive change in your own community.
Credit
NPS/Sven Market
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