October 16, 2018 - Boston

Title: October 16, 2018 - Boston-Black Heritage Trail

Hike Info : Description : Background :  Extra Photo's

Hike Info:

Type: City

Description:

I got up 7:30 local time, which may be considered sleeping in or at 4:30 Fresno time, in which case I got up really early. Had granola for breakfast. By this time Sherri got up and had her breakfast as well. By the time we left the AirBnB in Malden, it was after around 10:30, which sounds really late. But if you frame it in Fresno time, 7:30 sounds like we are leaving for work.

Orange Line Trail

Downtown Subway Stop

We walked over to Malden Center station and picked up the subway to go downtown. We have a week pass for all of the Boston transit system. I think we will get our money’s worth out of it. We get off at the downtown station. When we come up, we see a CVS and stop in for a few minutes to pick up some supplies.

We then head over to the Boston Common. Here we sit for a few minutes while Sherri wraps her foot. Then go to the visitor center. It is small and crowded. We gather a few brochures and then head off to walk around the commons. I discover that my fully charged camera battery has run out of juice. Really hoping this is not symptomatic for the rest of the trip. I have my phone which takes good pictures as well.

 It is pleasant enough walk. Many people are out for their noon day time in the sun. We go past a memorial with Minerva as the centerpiece, but commemorating those who have died defending this country. Then there is a monument talking about the founding of Boston in 1630.

Boston Founding Commemoration

 

Side Entrance to State House

We exit the Common and go up a street-not sure of the name. Sherri has seen a few buildings she would like to walk by a bit closer. We get up to Chestnut St, where our street “T’s” into. Here we follow it around the back of the “new” State House, which looks about the same age as the California capital-it’s not. The New State House is about 60 years older. There is a statue of General Hooker in front of it. We head back into the Common to have lunch. Then enter the State House to use the facilities. There is a security checkpoint when we enter, short and friendly. The State House has a tour which we are tempted by, but we have lots of time in Boston, so we will hit the tour on another day.

 National Park Service, Harpers Ferry Design Center, Public Domain,

The Boston African Meeting House National Historic Place is having a tour along the Boston Black Heritage Trail. So rather than walk it by ourselves, we will follow and hear an explanation of what we are seeing. We meet at the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial. What we learn is that Colonel Shaw, a white, lead the 54th Regiment of Colored Troops out of Boston in May 1863. They were the first colored troops to heed Lincoln’s proclamation for non-white troops to fight the Civil War. The ranger leading the tour also talked about how the people of Boston, not all, pushed to have colored troops be included in the Union forces. It was only when the Union forces were depleted did Lincoln heed this call. By colored, blacks and Native Americans were included in the regiment. There were fears about how this unit would approach battle. But when they fought, they showed great bravery.

 It is said in Boston, there was two wars of freedom. The first was the Revolutionary War. The second was the Civil War.Both used colored troops to achieve freedom.

Ranger begining his talk

It was noted that the Declaration of Independence states close to the beginning that We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. The Massachusetts Constitution is even more emphatic about it as it states right from the get go, Article I, that All men are born free and equal, and have certain natural, essential, and unalienable rights; among which may be reckoned the right of enjoying and defending their lives and liberties; that of acquiring, possessing, and protecting property; in fine, that of seeking and obtaining their safety and happiness. With these kinds of statements as its basis, there is a reason why the people of this state were leaders in the abolitionist movement.

The ranger said that Boston was the center of the abolitionist movement. As we went around the back side of the Beacon Hill area, he said that 83 Philips Street was the highest concentration of safe houses. All of the escaping slaves in the underground railroad knew to come to Boston on their travels.

We were given a lot of background to the black participation in the Civil War. There was a great deal of reluctance include blacks in the fighting units. That is until January 1, 1863 when President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. in it, there was a paragraph which stated: And I further declare and make known, that such persons of suitable condition, will be received into the armed service of the United States to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service. With that one sentence Lincoln allowed blacks into the Armed Forces.

This was followed by Frederick Douglass’ call to Men of Color, To Arms! given in March of 1863. In there, Douglass says that the Civil War is not just a white man’s war, instead he says that Who would be free themselves must strike the blow. Better even die free, than to live slaves. Black men responded to this.

Lewis Hayden's door

It should be noted that blacks fighting in the armed forces was not new to the Civil War era. During the Revolutionary War, around Boston, blacks fought in integrated companies in the American forces. There was a group called the Bucks of America which fought.

Some other items which where mentioned along the walk is that the first known incident of a woman speaking to a mixed group: white, black, male, and female took place in 1833 at the African Meeting House. Mary W. Stewart spoke to the Boston African Masonic Lodge then.

Also, the Civil War was not the end of the struggle to afford blacks and other races the same set of rights as whites. It took a hundred years for there to be significant movement. But not from the lack of trying. Another Bostonian, Charles Sumner, starting in 1870, tried repeatedly to get a Civil Rights bill through Congress. Finally a much watered down bill was passed in 1875. The one which Sumner proposed? Very much like the one passed in 1964.

Alleyway to African Meeting House

Our tour ended up at the African Meeting House, which is now jointly run by the Museum of African-American history and the National Park Service. In there we see an exhibit for Frederick Douglass, talking about his life history, going from a freed black man, to this three autobiographies to inspiring other backs and some whites to the abolitionist cause then finally to gain full rights as citizens. We got in right before closing time so we did not get a chance to linger too long, but long enough to wonder about the man. (I had previously read his first autobiography-Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave-and was taken by it.)

We found out that there was a presentation to be done that evening at the African Meeting House, but you needed tickets. We and another person asked about it and found out that there was a good possibility we could attend, just come back right before it was to start. So now to find a place to eat. We walk a ways with a person, Alfred, who was on the tour as well as examining the displays in the Frederick Douglass exhibits. Alfred goes off across the Common while we take a shorter path across the Common. We end up at a hamburger place called Mooyah. Pretty good hamburger and shake. About the time we finish up, it is time to walk back to the African Meeting House.

Donald Blight

We walked up about the same time as Alfred. So we talked a bit while we waited to see if we could get in. Turns out that he also works for NPS in the Minute Man park, up near Concord. He is here just because he is interested in these kinds of things. We talk about the different places-he likes the outdoors. Told him, if he is ever in California, look us up.

Now it is time to go into presentation. We decide rather than crowd into the lower section, we will go to the upper section-not many people are up there. Here we find our new friend Alfred. The night is really the awards night for the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. This is a group whose goal is to preserve places and documents concerning the Underground Railroad. Besides the awards, there are two things which are of general interest. The first is a 20 minute documentary called Fighting for Freedom. It is about Lewis Hayden-who we learned about on our walk this afternoon. In addition, the keynote speaker was David Blight whose book, Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom was being featured in the museum’s store.

Park St Church Steeple

By the time everything ended, Sherri and I were ready to skip the book signing and reception. So we walked back, through the Common. There we were delighted to see the New State House and Park St Church all light up. Very nice. We then made our way back to the subway stop and successfully negotiated which train to get on-and even as important, which direction to travel. We got back to Malden and then walked the ¾ of a mile back to the AirBnB. It is about 9:30pm (only 6:30 on the West Coast). Getting a bit tired. We turn in around 10:30.

Background

Some of what is below has been added to my reviews on TripAdvisor.

Black Heritage Trail: This is not a trail, marked or unmarked, but more of a route to show the interested person places and people which were important to the Abolitionist cause around Boston. We were very fortunate to latch onto an NPS tour which was highly informative. Even without the NPS tour, there are sites which will give you each stop along the way and let you know why the stop is important. This being the first day in Boston, following this route was a great start to understanding the history, impact and context of the blacks in Boston and consequently the nation.

1. Robert Gould Shaw and 54th Regiment Memorial

2. George Middleton House

3. The Phillips School

4. John J. Smith House

5. Charles Street Meeting House

6. Lewis and Harriet Hayden House

7. John Coburn House

8-12. Smith Court Residences

13. Abiel Smith School

14. The African Meeting House

Mooyah. We needed to grab a quick dinner around the Boston Common in-between walking the Black Heritage Trail and a evening presentation. So we were not going to be too picky. So we were surprised and delighted when we stopped in ordered a burger, fries and a shake. The shake was nice and thick, while the burger was moist on top of a fresh baked potato bun. Well worth stopping in again.

African Meeting House: This is the end of the Black Heritage Trail. The House is run as a joint venture with the Museum for Afro-American History and the National Park Service. Unfortunately, we got to the House close to the end time, but still enough time to look through the Frederick Douglass display, but not truely absorb his words and deeds. This is a good stop to make to understand more of the Abolitionist of Boston and their effect on America’s view of slavery. We were later able to take in a presentation by the Network to Freedom group which helped enlarge some of our understanding.

Extra Photo's

The "New" Massachusetts State House