Thank you. Wow, go Dorcas! I grew up all over the country, and so many names I saw as a kid I now know the meaning of, so my genealogical interest is much more historical and less personal (you can imagine how many descendants, accusers and accused, make pilgrimage.)
Did you see what we did in Salem year before last? We celebrated the 350th of the Picnic and Negro Voting Day, and flew the flag of that movement in the place important flags are displayed every month, for the first time. The National Parks are doing great work reclaiming history as well as Hamilton Hall, home of the Remonds.
Mass Historical Society did many zoom sessions this summer reclaiming "lost" stories and being far more honest about the "purity of the North, especially Massachussetts" mythology.
We have so far to go, but I grew up first near Jamestown, then in a Florida town under an actual Fed Battle Flag for a bit in the early 80s (was still there til mid-90s) so accidentally I got a really good education of all sorts of thing we have done as a nation.
Moving to Salem has been as if I moved to Narnia or the Shire, the humanity and reality of lives of real people has been most magical, at a time of reckoning of our complex history almost the whole story, so satisfying and fascinating, and younger I would have appreciated none of it.
"The energy of the youth, the wisdom of the young."
I appreciate this space and the work it must take to maintain it. It feels like we are falling backwards but there's a lot of complexity to it, and a lot of new honesty that is actually a chance to move forward. More chances than we could ever deserve, we must seize the opportunity and do the work as we can.
Jen, thanks for another great comment! Belated welcome to Massachusetts. I did see the coverage of Salem and the "Negro Election Day;" thank you for reminding me about that.
Close to Salem, the Marblehead Museum has excellent writings and media in regards to slavery in early Black history in that town. https://marbleheadmuseum.org/bipoc/
Thanks for the tip! I’ll ask my 4th Gen Marblehead friend to go! The Salem Atheneum has some jaw-droppers too
I appreciate the welcome! My born and bred friends say they fully accept me as a local. I’ve never experienced that, I had to pick the place I can’t pronounce anything 😂
I went to see the Dudley Family’s box at UU Roxbury. My friend and I sat in the box in the front row, the rest donors fundraising to improve the church. Then the pastor said that box was reserved for the poor and we high-fived 😂
I’m in Salem now. A Stoughton was almost entirely responsible for the trials getting out of control
Thank you for reading, Jen. Although I am not sure about William, the most notable story about the Stoughtons (Israel) and slavery is that of Dorcas the Blackmore. She became a member of the Dorchester church in 1641 and gained freedom in 1653. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/dorcas-blackmore-ca-1620/
Thank you. Wow, go Dorcas! I grew up all over the country, and so many names I saw as a kid I now know the meaning of, so my genealogical interest is much more historical and less personal (you can imagine how many descendants, accusers and accused, make pilgrimage.)
Did you see what we did in Salem year before last? We celebrated the 350th of the Picnic and Negro Voting Day, and flew the flag of that movement in the place important flags are displayed every month, for the first time. The National Parks are doing great work reclaiming history as well as Hamilton Hall, home of the Remonds.
Mass Historical Society did many zoom sessions this summer reclaiming "lost" stories and being far more honest about the "purity of the North, especially Massachussetts" mythology.
We have so far to go, but I grew up first near Jamestown, then in a Florida town under an actual Fed Battle Flag for a bit in the early 80s (was still there til mid-90s) so accidentally I got a really good education of all sorts of thing we have done as a nation.
Moving to Salem has been as if I moved to Narnia or the Shire, the humanity and reality of lives of real people has been most magical, at a time of reckoning of our complex history almost the whole story, so satisfying and fascinating, and younger I would have appreciated none of it.
"The energy of the youth, the wisdom of the young."
I appreciate this space and the work it must take to maintain it. It feels like we are falling backwards but there's a lot of complexity to it, and a lot of new honesty that is actually a chance to move forward. More chances than we could ever deserve, we must seize the opportunity and do the work as we can.
I'm not ready to surrender, are you?
Keep the faith \m/
Jen, thanks for another great comment! Belated welcome to Massachusetts. I did see the coverage of Salem and the "Negro Election Day;" thank you for reminding me about that.
Close to Salem, the Marblehead Museum has excellent writings and media in regards to slavery in early Black history in that town. https://marbleheadmuseum.org/bipoc/
Thanks for the tip! I’ll ask my 4th Gen Marblehead friend to go! The Salem Atheneum has some jaw-droppers too
I appreciate the welcome! My born and bred friends say they fully accept me as a local. I’ve never experienced that, I had to pick the place I can’t pronounce anything 😂
Have a wonderful day, tomorrow looks great!
I went to see the Dudley Family’s box at UU Roxbury. My friend and I sat in the box in the front row, the rest donors fundraising to improve the church. Then the pastor said that box was reserved for the poor and we high-fived 😂
I’m in Salem now. A Stoughton was almost entirely responsible for the trials getting out of control
In 1692, it’s him or family I would think.
So I’m hardly surprised he was a slaver.
Thank you for reading, Jen. Although I am not sure about William, the most notable story about the Stoughtons (Israel) and slavery is that of Dorcas the Blackmore. She became a member of the Dorchester church in 1641 and gained freedom in 1653. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/dorcas-blackmore-ca-1620/