Category: Slavery
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Allow History to Illuminate Your Journey
In the final episode of Illuminating the Unseen, Jaimie reviews some of the key themes from her previous videos, discusses the crisis facing history and social studies K-12 teachers today, and considers how our learning together can illuminate our collective journey toward a more equitable future. See below for the video, primary sources, and episode…
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Anti-Slavery and the Episcopal Church in the Antebellum and Civil War Era North
In this episode of Illuminating the Unseen, Jaimie examines how Episcopal churches in the northern United States, including Old North Church, responded to slavery and anti-Black racism between 1830 and 1865. Jaimie invites viewers to consider this guiding question: “How do civic institutions, like churches, become places that exercise control over marginalized people?” See below…
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Deputy Husbands and Slave Mistresses: White Female Pew Proprietors at the Old North Church, 1735-1775
Meet Mehitable Nelson On August 11, 1721, 30-year-old Mehitable, who was often called “Hittie” in family letters, married 27-year-old Robert Temple.1 Their officiant was Rev. Samuel Myles, the rector of King’s Chapel in Boston.2 After their marriage, Mehitable and Robert purchased the deed to pew number 11 at the Old North Church. The young Church…
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People of Color as Children and Elders in 18th and 19th Century Boston
In this episode of Illuminating the Unseen, Jaimie considers what it was like to be a Black or Indigenous child or elder in 18th and 19th-century Boston. In the United States, being very young or very old can increase our vulnerability. As Jaimie explains, both Black and Indigenous children and elders found themselves in uniquely…
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Paul Revere’s Ride and the Mark of Urban Slavery
In this episode of Illuminating the Unseen, Jaimie explores an often-overlooked detail of Paul Revere’s ride. In a letter recounting his historic midnight mission on April 18, 1775, Revere mentions that he “passed Charlestown Neck and got nearly opposite of where Mark was hung in chains.” Who was Mark and why was he hanged? As…
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Old North and Black Freedom
In this episode of Illuminating the Unseen, Jaimie examines the struggle for Black freedom in Massachusetts from 1723 – 1795. Jaimie tracks what the lives of free and enslaved Black people at Old North looked like before slavery was abolished in Massachusetts and how their lives changed during the years right after slavery ended in…
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Old North and Enslaved People in the British Colonial Period
In this episode of Illuminating the Unseen, Jaimie discusses slavery in Boston during the British colonial period. How did it differ from Southern slavery? How many enslaved people lived in Massachusetts? How did Old North congregants participate in and profit from slavery? Jaimie looks at a 1755 assessor’s report, a newspaper article, and tax records…
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99% Sure | Ep 9: The Humphries Family
The Humphries were a free Black family who worshiped at Old North Church in the 1740s and 50s. They appeared frequently in church documents for around a decade before slowly disappearing from the record. Our researcher T.J. Todd pieces together their poignant story. See below for the video, episode transcript, extra information, and sources! Episode…
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The People in the Pews: The Humphries Family
John and Elizabeth Humphries were a free Black couple who first appear in the Old North records in March 1748 with the baptism of their daughter, Deborah. Over the next four years, they would baptize seven more children at Old North: Robert, Richard, James, Catherine, Elizabeth, Thomas, and Ruth. Five children were baptized on the…
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The People in the Pews: Alexander Chamberlain
For the many worshipers at Old North involved in the maritime trade, being a congregation member was also a way to establish business connections. This would have been just as true for Alexander Chamberlain, who sat in pew #9. However, while other prominent members were mostly merchants, sea captains and ship owners, Chamberlain was a…