Alex regularly gives illustrated presentations on various parts of Boston’s history. Customized talks are routinely created, but some of the more popular selections are listed below. Contact me for scheduling or more details.
Boston in 30 Minutes
See why Boston was founded and how it became the largest town in British North America. This presentation focuses on the history of the English Puritans and enslaved Africans who lived in Boston from colonial days through the Revolution. PERFECT for conferences, trainings, and other office events with out-of-town guests.
The North End: Before Little Italy
Learn about the neighborhood inherited and preserved by the Italian-American community. Hear about the Irish era of John F. Fitzgerald; the Jews who lived near the local “Gates of Jerusalem;” the Zealous Puritans and the earliest African-American settlement; and Hometown hero Paul Revere.
The Eliot School and the Catholic Exodus of 1859
The John Eliot School, founded in 1700, is now the third oldest in the entire Boston Public School system. At the school, in 1859, a Catholic boy named Thomas Whall was severely beaten -- to the point of unconsciousness -- for refusing to recite the then-required Protestant prayers in the classroom. This talk explores this bloody incident and places it in the context of public education and Catholic immigration in Boston.
The African School and the Fight for Equal School Rights
The African-American families of Boston founded the African School in 1798 because the public schools were failing their children. Learn about the genesis of this school for children of color and how it figured into the construction of the first public school building for African Americans IN THE COUNTRY as well as Boston's first school desegregation, in 1855.
In Slavery and Freedom: Boston's Black Community since 1638
A look at Boston’s earliest African-American community, which was located in the North End prior to the Revolution. During that time, slavery was legal in Massachusetts, and forced labor for FREE African-Americans was also common. Yet, people of color bought land, established a church, and assisted individuals in their fights (or flights) for freedom under these harsh conditions.
From the North End to Beacon Hill: Boston's Black Community since 1783
Located on the north slope of Beacon Hill, once considered part of the old West End, this relatively small group of people fought for -- and won -- the abolition of slavery and civil rights for African Americans. Explore Boston’s African-American community from the Revolution through the Civil War.
© 2009-2011 by Alex R. Goldfeld
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