History at Sunset Walking Tour: Boston Resists the Fugitive Slave Act

Join a National Park Service Ranger as they share Boston’s diverse history through unique guided tours.

A Man Kidnapped: Boston Resists the Fugitive Slave Act

August 13 & September 17

On June 2, 1854, more than 1,500 troops marched Anthony Burns down State Street to T wharf where he was taken aboard a steamer bound for Virginia. The arrest, trial, and re-enslavement of Anthony Burns was the last time an enslaver captured and returned a freedom seeker to slavery from Boston.

This tour traces paths of resistance by Boston residents as they fought to protect freedom seekers from the Fugitive Slave Act.

Meeting Point: African Meeting House, 8 Smith Court, Boston, MA 02114

Final Stop: Long Wharf

Route Info: The tour will cover approximately 1.25 miles over uneven surfaces, moderate hills, and cross multiple intersections in a highly populated area.