Boston African American National Historic Site

On April 14, 1870 thousands gathered in Boston to celebrate the ratification of the 15th Amendment, which granted African American men the right to vote.

Located on the corner of Mt. Vernon and Charles Streets since 1807, the Charles Street Meetinghouse served as a home to several different communities over the past 200 years. Over the course of its existence, the Meeting House became a platform and safe haven for some of Boston’s radical thinkers

Across the United States, Black women found themselves largely excluded from White women’s politics and underrepresented in larger conversations about racial politics at the end of the 19th century. As a result, Black women across the country began to organize locally, creating women’s clubs…

Long cherished as the “Cradle of Liberty,” Faneuil Hall played an integral role in Boston’s Underground Railroad network. Boston abolitionists used the Hall as a gathering place for meetings, during which they protested against Fugitive Slave Laws and formed Vigilance Committees to assist freedom…

During the struggle to desegregate Boston public schools in the 1970s, activists rallied and protested throughout the city, including at many historic sites that now comprise the National Parks of Boston. Historic Dorchester Heights, known for its role during the 1775-1776 Siege of Boston, has…

In 1872, the City of Boston purchased Rainsford Island from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for $40,000 dollars. The city converted the existing facilities into an almshouse and hospital for Civil War veterans. The facility served primarily Black and Irish veterans, including members of the…