Historian Barbara Berenson to Speak on Boston and the Civil War at Royall House

On Wednesday, January 21, 2015, at 7:30 p.m., Boston historian Barbara Berenson will give an illustrated talk on her book, Boston and the Civil War: Hub of the Second Revolution.

This recent publication argues that Boston’s black and white abolitionists forged a second American revolution dedicated to ending slavery and honoring the promise of liberty made in the Declaration of Independence.

Before the war, Bostonians were bitterly divided between those who supported the Union and those opposed to its endorsement of slavery. The Fugitive Slave Act brought the horrors of slavery close to home and led many to join the abolitionists.

Boston’s soldiers included descendants of Revolutionary War patriots, members of the first black regiment raised in the North, and newly-arrived Irish immigrants. Women activists opposed both slavery and their own lack of legal rights.

Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing after the talk. Please note that the museum accepts cash or checks only for purchases.

The event will be held at the Royall House and Slave Quarters at 15 George Street, Medford, and is free to Royall House and Slave Quarters members. General admission is $5. On-street parking is available, and the museum is located on the 96 and 101 MBTA bus routes. Please email director@RoyallHouse.org for more information or visit RoyallHouse.org.

– Submitted by Tom Lincoln, director