By Katie Koenig
If you’ve spent some time in Boston, you have probably already crossed paths with the Black Heritage Trail! It circles between the State House and the Charles/MGH stop on the red line, centered on Beacon Hill.
The Black Heritage Trail is displayed in a different color on the same maps as the Freedom Trail. However, instead of freedom from the British Empire, the Black Heritage Trail focuses on the history of Black freedom from American slavery and segregation. It centers on the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly on the Black community that lived around Beacon Hill around the time of the Civil War.
It’s about a mile and a half walk, starting at the Massachusetts State House and ending at the Museum of African American History on Joy Street. The building was owned by the First African Baptist Church until the museum acquired it in 1972.
Many of the buildings were built and owned by free citizens, often serving as African American centers of culture and community, whether churches, schools, or other types of buildings. Even now, these buildings stand as reminders of the Black community on Beacon Hill.In the years before and during the Civil War, citizens built up these locations, many of which were part of the Underground Railroad. The spaces were also often used for recruitment for Black militia and regiments during the War.
You can book a tour in advance, or just walk around the trail yourself, following the signs and maps. If you don’t have the time to walk down the physical trail, there’s a virtual tour you can peruse, with both audio and text descriptions of the major locations.
The Museum of African American History itself was founded in 1963. With thousands of items in their collections, the museum hosts a variety of exhibits. Currently, one exhibit is focused on the Emancipation Proclamation, the reasoning and motivations behind it, and other history surrounding its decree.
If you visit nowhere else in Boston, this museum and its mirror of the Freedom Trail should absolutely be on your must-see list. It’s right next to the Boston Common, next to the beginning of the Freedom Trail itself, and is considerably shorter. It’s easily accessible, informative, and centers around the wealth of history of Boston’s Black community and their push for liberation around the Civil War. If nothing else, it highlights a part of the city’s history that can easily be overlooked as a tourist, but is just as impactful and engaging as the landmarks of the Revolutionary War.
Make sure not to miss it!