Boston Roots

10/31/04

Announcement:

The year 2008 will mark the 100 year History of Boston's Afro-Cultural & Cross-Cultural Landmark "The Gaiety Theater" (if revived).

The Legacy of Bostons Gaiety (or Gayety) theater has been is endangered by recent city developments and advocates of the theaters history are in a fight for its survival.

During the hieght of Boston's Black/Afro-American Artistic and theartical /performing arts history the Gaiety served as a center for Boston's African-American Renaissance during its heights in the 1920's/30's in musical and theatrical history.

The Friends of the Gaiety Theater and others such as the Asian-American Development and Chinatown Progressive Association/Comminity are also striving for the survival of the Gaiety Theater and the Factxchange is Creating a solution of Progressive Black/Afro-Americans and Culturally Concered (minorities) people, organizations/institutions to address and solve the problem. The City needs to recognize the history of the Gaiety in Boston's Midtown Cultural Distict/plan and improve on its' foundation in Black/Afro-American history which would generate a better image of Boston and welcome more people, organizations and business to travel to Boston from Afro-cultural and worldly backgrounds and create the engine for more cultural/historical, urban-economic development and history.

Recent Articles/Info.

Preservation On-Line - Landmark Denial

Emerson College / City in Transition - Rich History

Chistian Science Monitor - Recent Drama

Josepnine Baker Hist./Info.

Americas Abolitionist History:

The True American Revolution - Liberating Enslaved Black America During the 19th Century / Early 1800’s

The Integrated Abolitionist-American Liberation Movement for the Freedom of Enslaved Black Americans by the Abolitionist /Anti-Slavery Movement

A time in history has passed us and has gone unrecognized and underappreciated for many years, nearly 200 years or 173 to be exact.

During this time in Americas past known as the Jacksonian era or the Antebellum era also known as the Abolitionist Movement era, The country was facing changing times during the early to mid 1800’s. There were still many problems and differences between the North and the South.

Although the cities of America were growing during the post American/independence revolution there were still many problems between the northern and southern states of the country. During these pre-civil war times Abolitionist and anti-slavery proponents and advocates were active pursing the “Glorious Cause” Abolitionism - to bring Slavery to an end in the south or throughout the country, although the north was free fugitive slave laws still existed.

In an effort to bring about the immediate end of slavery and have the U.S. government lives by the word s and standards of the constitution of the United States and the declaration of independence. Anti-slavery abolitionist such as William Lloyd Garrison, Fredrick Douglas and George Thompson were orators/speakers or published news papers such as Garrisons “Liberator” newspaper which was a voice of the abolitionist community of the Glorious Cause.

These Abolitionist/Anti-Slavery groups and organizations convened meetings, conventions and strived for the fight to bring an end to slavery against multitudes of oppressive “slave forces”., they served as the freedom fighters of their time. If not for these brave citizens who strived for an the of slavery and slave laws and called for America to live up to the words of the American construction, Slavery in the south may have continued for many more years.

The abolitionist of the 18^th and 19^th centuries in America served as the revolutionaries who saw the flaws of this country, stood for change and an end to slavery. They gave the country the backbone needed not only to campaign for an end of slavery in the south but give the country a moral and ethical identity to move the country towards becoming a more civil and equality based or equal rights based society.

In essence they defined America’s true revolutionary era, They pressured government and called for an end to slavery, their actions as served as the foundation of President Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, and the 13^th amendment of 1865 or post civil war-reconstruction Acts towards a more perfect union (of the North and South).

As a testament to these tumultuous, controversial and revolutionary times of change in America, Today we should recognize those in our past who contributed to what could be truly called the United States of America, Abolitionist constantly fought for their rights: The Right of freedom of Speech and their public right to meet and convene and freedom of the press.

In order to create this change revolutionary abolitionist faced Mobs, lynch mobs, protestors and other ruffian opponents which often times turned into conflicts and riots similar to the civil rights movements of the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s.

One of the greatest milestones of the antislavery abolitionist movements took place or was erected here in the city of Boston. But to the contrary this incident also marks “a disgraceful spot in Boston’s history”.

This Event and incident took place on the grounds of what is now City Hall and Government Center, and a stone’s throw or not to far from the old city hall of the early 19^th century which also previously was the State house of the 18^th century during the patriotic revolution of the 1700’s.

The time was 1835 and the place was Washington Street (now on government center) at Cornhill, This landmark spot was the place where the Boston Riot of 1835 took place which was a milestone in Anti-Slavery – Abolitionist Movement history where “The Boston Mob of Gentlemen of property and Standing rioted against an anti-slavery meeting of The Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society with William Lloyd Garrison – Publisher of the Liberator Abolitionist newspaper. Through the disgrace of the riot Abolitionist history was created at this spot and at this historic address..The historic location of Garrison’s Office of the Liberator newspaper, the Location of the Antislavery Office and the Hall where Anti-slavery Society, Organizational Group meetings were held.

STACY HALL, 46 Washington Street, The Anti-Slavery Office & Office of William Lloyd Garrisons Liberator Newspaper.

This site was the site of the climactic meeting at Stacy Hall (the office of the Liberator newspaper). The meeting was of a culmination of several historical events regarding the abolition of slavery which happened in other cities and states including Boston in August of 1835 at Faneuil Hall (1500 most prominent citizens in address of the issue of slavery and the union “to denounce the agitation of the question of slavery as putting in peril the existence of the union” speakers used opprobrious language toward George Thompson & the Anti-Slavery cause), which wrought the city up to a pitch of insanity. The Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society along with William Lloyd Garrison Publisher of The Liberator was driven from this address/Hall by a lynch mob “The Boston Mob” on October 21^st 1835. William Lloyd Garrison was roped with a noose around his neck and arms and dragged away - through the streets by the mob nearly to the door of Old City Hall (The Old State House). The mob (of 5000) also thought that the leading British Abolitionist George Thompson was invited to speak and at the meeting, because a placard was circulated through the business portion of the city, announcing the fact that he would be present, but he was not asked to be at the meeting, It was a false statement Mr. Thompson was not t be there. The incident came to be known as “The Boston Riot of 1835” the date is a landmark date in Boston’s Abolitionist history, and this nation’s Confrontational history regarding the Abolition of slavery.

The previous or other related meetings or large mob incidents to break-up meeting or drive colored inhabitants out of their holms took place in New York in 1833, “where the notorious Garrison would be present”, Montpelier, Vermont, Philadelphia in the summer of 1835, also Charleston S.C. and in Utica, N Y this very day twenty years ago.

20 years later – on the Anniversary of the climatic event of the meeting at Stacy Hall - The Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society Assembled on This identical site again “which was the scene of the ever memorable outbreak of 1835”. On Sunday October 21^st at 2:00 in unpropitious (conflicting) weather and the Hall was filled to its utmost capacity”.

On that day in 1835 William Lloyd Garrison was saved by the Mayor of Boston at that time, Mayor Theodore Lyman. Unfortunately William Lloyd Garrison spent that night at the Leverett Street Jail (Charles Street Jail) it was the only place of safety to be found in the city.

The date marks the progress and challenges of the Anti-slavery Movement as an important constructive instrument and voice against Slavery, as the Anti-Slavery organizations and Abolitionist news publications moved the country towards President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation and the controversial Reconstruction Era during the mid-1800’s in U.S. History.