Beyond the Hill: Allies and Kindred Spirits

“I do not pretend to understand the moral universe, the arc is a long one... But from what I see I am sure it bends towards justice.”

- Reverend Theodore Parker, 1853

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The Black community of Beacon Hill in the 1800s both supported and relied upon a vast network of activists that stretched across the city, nation, and world. They worked within and beyond Beacon Hill for emancipation and civil rights. In doing so, they carried on the legacy of earlier revolutionaries and built the foundation for social movements to come.

Explore the centuries-long continuum for freedom and justice in Boston through the lenses of the allies of the Black abolitionist community of Beacon Hill as well as the kindred spirits who inspired them and carried on their legacy.

 

Allies

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  Harriet Tubman's Boston

  This digital exploration highlights several key moments, people, and places that illustrate Tubman's decades-long relationship with Boston.

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  Celebrating the 15th Amendment in Boston

  Thousands gathered in Boston to celebrate the ratification of the 15th Amendment, which granted African American men the right to vote.

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  Boston's First Woman's Rights Convention

  As men and women gathered for the first Woman's Rights Convention in Boston in 1854, they also witnessed the rendition of Anthony Burns.

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  The Boston Vigilance Committees

  At Faneuil Hall Boston abolitionists formed Vigilance Committees to assist freedom seekers of the Underground Railroad.

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  A "Radical Woman Suffrage Man"

  Frederick Douglass vocalized his support for women's suffrage at the 20th annual New England Woman Suffrage Society Meeting in 1888.

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  John Brown's Boston

  This video series explores John Brown's relationship with Boston abolitionists that resulted in the famous raid at Harpers Ferry, Virginia.

 

Kindred Spirits

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  Women's Suffrage at Faneuil Hall

  In arguing for women's suffrage, men and women suffragists used the "Cradle of Liberty" to call for equality.

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  Remembering John Brown at Faneuil Hall

  As time passed - people still found themselves inspired by John Brown to make changes in the world they lived in.

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  Helen Lee Franklin

  Follow Helen Lee Franklin's journey from passionate learner and teacher to community organizer and activist.

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  Dr. Melnea Agnes Jones Cass

  Dr. Melnea Cass advocated for the city's most vulnerable residents and proved the potency of Black women's activism.

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  Gay and Lesbian Town Meeting

  Boston's LGBTQ+ community's revolutionary spirit and tenacity changed the cultural landscape of the 20th century and beyond.

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  The Women’s Service Club of Boston

  This Black women's club paralleled broader efforts to eliminate second-class citizenship in American society.