Boston church honors enslaved people held by members of the congregation : NPR

A Boston church along the city’s Freedom Trail has unveiled a monument to the more than 200 slaves once held by members of the congregation.

AILSA CHANG, HOST:

Every year, millions of tourists follow Boston’s Freedom Trail. It’s a red-brick path through the city that visits key sites in America’s revolutionary history. And one of those sites is historic King’s Chapel. Yesterday, the church debuted a new monument, which shines a bright light on Boston’s connection to slavery. Meghan Smith from GBH was there.

UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: Five, four, three, two, one. Unbound.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Unbound.

(CHEERING)

MEGHAN SMITH, BYLINE: King’s Chapel unveiled the dramatic 14-foot sculpture on its property in downtown Boston Sunday. The title is “Unbound.” It depicts a Black woman holding a bird cage, releasing birds to freedom. The birds honor the 219 people who were enslaved by the church’s original members and ministers.

ROESHANA MOORE-EVANS: It’s a moment – an important moment for the city, for this country. And I – it’s going to bring about the healing that we all need.

SMITH: Roeshana Moore-Evans is part of the congregation’s memorial committee.

MOORE-EVANS: She is this large, Black woman in this amazing white dress that accentuates her beautiful, dark skin with an amazing hair texture.

SMITH: musician Harmonia Rosales designed the sculpture. She was struck that so many onlookers had gathered around the church to learn more.

HARMONIA ROSALES: It’s a beautiful thing, yeah, that everybody’s curious. Everybody is loving the sculpture, and that’s all I hope for.

SMITH: Massachusetts resident Leslie Robbins was wandering by King’s Chapel and stopped when she saw the excitement.

LESLIE ROBBINS: ‘Cause I think it’s important to honor the enslaved people that have come to Boston against their will.

SMITH: The unveiling comes at a time when cultural institutions across the country are under pressure to roll back conversations about slavery and racism. A public artwork like this can expand people’s understanding of history. That’s according to Jha D Amazi, a principal with MASS Design Group, who partnered with Rosales to create the memorial.

JHA D AMAZI: The significance of a piece like this in Boston and on the Freedom Trail is that it layers what people understand to be the Freedom Trail.

SMITH: King’s Chapel was founded in 1686 as an Anglican church and still operates as a Unitarian congregation today. It’s one of the 16 sites on Boston’s Freedom Trail. Amazi says the statue is an invitation to learn more of Boston’s story.

AMAZI: Historically, the Freedom Trail was about America’s freedom – right? – and was telling a very one-sided story of said freedom.

SMITH: Dean Denniston is on the congregation’s memorial committee. He says many people don’t realize slavery’s role in colonial New England.

DEAN DENNISTON: I always like to say that of the original 13 colonies, slavery was legal in all 13 colonies at the time. But it was never talked about, especially here.

SMITH: Many original King’s Chapel worshippers were business leaders with connections to the slave trade and plantations in the Caribbean. Reverend Joy Fallon has led the congregation since 2013 and guided efforts to uncover its history.

JOY FALLON: I felt because we’re on the Freedom Trail, we had a special moral obligation to tell the truth.

SMITH: And slavery is part of that truth. At a worship service Sunday, King’s Chapel congregants read the names of the 219 enslaved people who were owned by members of the church.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON 2: Mingo (ph), Mira (ph), Toby (ph), Tom (ph), unnamed man.

SMITH: And they all sang “Lift Every Voice And Sing” – often called the Black national anthem.

UNIDENTIFIED CONGREGATION: (Singing) Lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee.

SMITH: For NPR News, I’m Meghan Smith in Boston.

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