Black History Month Field Trip

March 02, 2023

To celebrate Black History Month, the HSH E&I committee organized group outings to the Museum of African American History in Boston. The Beacon Hill museum is a short walk from the HSH Boston office and features the African Meeting House, a registered National Historic Landmark, and the Abiel Smith School. Both buildings were built in the early 1800s and are two of the museum’s most valuable assets.

As part of the tour, staff explored the museum’s current exhibitions: Selections from the Collection and Jazz Scene in Boston: Telling the Local Story. The museum, “holds a collection of over 3,000 items accrued over fifty years. Selections from the Collection feature samples of historical artifacts and art collections providing a lens unique to the narrative of African-descended people, places, and events in America.” The visit concluded with a tour of the African Meeting House, which was once a church, a school, and community meeting place. The African Meeting House has been returned to its 1855 appearance through historic restoration and preservation and was a favorite for HSH staff.

Staff also appreciated learning more history about our office neighborhood and left the museum with valuable new knowledge. Another museum patron made a remark that resonated with many of the staff: “The Museum of African American History is much more than a collection of artifacts; it’s a window into a time when voices from the Boston community started a movement that changed our country. I learn something new every time I visit.”

Learn more about the Museum of African American History and plan your visit here: https://www.maah.org/