Black History Month at King's Chapel
Throughout February, join the King's Chapel History Program in exploring and honoring Black history within our archives. While the History Program remains committed to sharing Black history and voices through our programming year round, Black History Month remains an important opportunity to dig deeper and and shed light on stories within Boston's Black community throughout our history. This year, our program focuses on the theme of Uncovering the Past: Exploring Black History Through Primary Sources.
Explore our new online exhibit, join us for a virtual program, and follow us on social media throughout the month as we highlight King's Chapel's Black history and share Black History Month content from our neighbors within the city and beyond.
Explore our new online exhibit, join us for a virtual program, and follow us on social media throughout the month as we highlight King's Chapel's Black history and share Black History Month content from our neighbors within the city and beyond.
Coming Soon An Online Exhibit on Uncovering the Past: Exploring Black History through Primary Sources
How do historians uncover the past and how do primary sources help bring history to life? Through this online exhibit, step into the role of historian as we research the lives of Black congregants throughout King's Chapel's history. This exhibit will guide viewers through the process of examining primary sources from King's Chapel's archives, and discuss how we work to uncover the stories of Black congregants from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Virtual Talk on the New Online Exhibit for Black History Month
Thursday, February 4 at 5:30PM on Zoom
Join King's Chapel History Program staff on Thursday, February 4 on Zoom as we dive into the archives to explore Black history within King's Chapel's collections. In anticipation for the release of King's Chapel's new online exhibit on Friday February 5, we will explore the exhibit content and themes. The presentation will focus on the process of examining primary sources within our archives and how this research enables us to uncover and bring light to stories from the church's Black community in the 18th and 19th centuries. Attendees will be able to preview the exhibit and have the opportunity to ask questions before it goes live the following day. Advance registration required.
Please register in advance to join with the link below:
Virtual Talk on the New Online Exhibit for Black History Month
Thursday, February 4 at 5:30PM on Zoom
Join King's Chapel History Program staff on Thursday, February 4 on Zoom as we dive into the archives to explore Black history within King's Chapel's collections. In anticipation for the release of King's Chapel's new online exhibit on Friday February 5, we will explore the exhibit content and themes. The presentation will focus on the process of examining primary sources within our archives and how this research enables us to uncover and bring light to stories from the church's Black community in the 18th and 19th centuries. Attendees will be able to preview the exhibit and have the opportunity to ask questions before it goes live the following day. Advance registration required.
Please register in advance to join with the link below:
Uncovering and Confronting Our History:
King's Chapel History Program Series on Slavery
As both an historical organization and an active faith community, King's Chapel is committed to uncovering and confronting the institution's difficult history with slavery and racism. King's Chapel, of course, is not alone in this endeavor, as the institution of slavery played an integral role in the founding, growth, and wealth of not only Boston but the American colonies as a whole and the United States.
Our program series Uncovering and Confronting Our History explores and addresses the history and legacy of enslavement and the slave trade on this historic institution:
Our program series Uncovering and Confronting Our History explores and addresses the history and legacy of enslavement and the slave trade on this historic institution:
King's Chapel, Slavery, and the Atlantic World
Members of colonial King's Chapel navigated a complex series of economic and social networks spanning across the Atlantic, including not only England, but many members with intimate ties to centers of the 18th century slave trade including Jamaica and Barbados. This program will share the lesser known histories of King's Chapel as a global community inextricably linked with the Atlantic slave trade, with members and supporters ranging from merchants deeply involved in Boston's maritime economy to owners of brutal sugar plantations throughout the Caribbean worked by enslaved laborers. This program will also explore the sources of wealth that contributed to the construction of King's Chapel's 1754 stone building, which still stands in the heart of Boston today.
Members of colonial King's Chapel navigated a complex series of economic and social networks spanning across the Atlantic, including not only England, but many members with intimate ties to centers of the 18th century slave trade including Jamaica and Barbados. This program will share the lesser known histories of King's Chapel as a global community inextricably linked with the Atlantic slave trade, with members and supporters ranging from merchants deeply involved in Boston's maritime economy to owners of brutal sugar plantations throughout the Caribbean worked by enslaved laborers. This program will also explore the sources of wealth that contributed to the construction of King's Chapel's 1754 stone building, which still stands in the heart of Boston today.
Costs of Cotton: King's Chapel and New England's Textile Industry
The second installment of this ongoing series explores the church and its historic members' relationships with New England's textile industry.
While slavery in Massachusetts came to an end in the 1780s, donations and membership continued to come in from people profiting from slavery -- the mill owners and textile industry magnates of 19th century New England who relied on cotton produced on southern plantations to fuel their mills, and cotton production increased due to this demand. In this program, we will explore King's Chapel's place in these systems and discuss the many "costs" associated with these industries, from the impacts of enslavement that fueled the textile industry to the environmental impacts as well.
The second installment of this ongoing series explores the church and its historic members' relationships with New England's textile industry.
While slavery in Massachusetts came to an end in the 1780s, donations and membership continued to come in from people profiting from slavery -- the mill owners and textile industry magnates of 19th century New England who relied on cotton produced on southern plantations to fuel their mills, and cotton production increased due to this demand. In this program, we will explore King's Chapel's place in these systems and discuss the many "costs" associated with these industries, from the impacts of enslavement that fueled the textile industry to the environmental impacts as well.
The recordings of these virtual history programs are available on our Recorded Events and Programs webpage.
The History Program depends on your generosity year round to support our ongoing tours, history events, and research. Contributions are especially appreciated at this time, as we are unable to continue our regular operations and tours due to the current pandemic. As we work to continue preparing remote programming and support our History Program staff, please consider offering your support at the time. Thank you.
