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2023 Reading Frederick Douglass Together Events Announced

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We believe Frederick Douglass’ words belong in public spaces and provide grant support to readings in town squares, community centers, churches, museums, libraries and parks.

Each year, Mass Humanities organizes and funds these free public events where communities gather together to read and talk about Frederick Douglass’ influential address, What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?

Organizations interested in hosting an event can propose any format for the reading and discussion that will foster a rich and productive community conversation. 

Mass Humanities is proud to support these organizations as they host Reading Frederick Douglass Together events across the Commonwealth in 2023.

Wednesday, April 26

Holyoke

Grantee: Holyoke Community College

Location: In-person at the College Cafeteria, 303 Homestead Ave, Holyoke or remote via Zoom

Time: 11am

Thursday, May 25

Roxbury

Grantee: Madison Park Development Corporation

Location: Hibernian Hall, 171 Dudley St, Boston

Time: 4:30pm

Saturday, June 17

Boston

Grantee: H.E.R.O. Nurturing Center

Location: Boston Nature Center, 500 Walk Hill St, Mattapan

Time: 11am

Fall River

Grantee: Bristol Black Collective

Location: Kennedy Pavilion Park, 145-199 Bradford Ave, Fall River

Time: 1pm

Sunday, June 18

Brookline

Grantee: Brookline For The Culture

Location: Florida Ruffin Ridley School, 345 Harvard St, Brookline

Time: 12pm

Gloucester

Grantee: Cape Ann Museum

Location: Gloucester City Hall, 9 Dale Ave, Gloucester

Time: 10am

Juneteenth (Monday, June 19)

Natick

Grantee: Natick Historical Society

Location: Morse Institute Library, 14 East Central St, Natick

Time: 10am

Haverhill

Grantee: Haverhill Historical Society, DBA Buttonwoods Museum

Location: Whittier Birthplace, 305 Whittier Rd, Haverhill

Time: 6pm

Medway

Grantee: Medway Marches Incorporated

Location: Medway Community Farm

Time: 12pm-4pm

Waltham

Grantee: Watch City Arts

Location: Watch City Arts Tea Palour, 487 Moody Street, Waltham

Time: TBD

Saturday, June 24

Sudbury

Grantee: Athina Education, Inc.

Location: Sudbury First Parish, 327 Concord Rd, Sudbury

Time: 10am

Sunday, June 25

Jamaica Plain

Grantee: Jamaica Plain Historical Society

Location: First Baptist Church, 633 Centre St., Jamaica Plain

Time: 4pm

Newburyport

Grantee: Historical Society of Old Newbury

Location: Brown Square, Newburyport

Time: 10am

Tuesday, June 27

Milton

Grantee: Forbes House Museum

Location: Forbes House Museum, 215 Adams St, Milton

Time: 6:30pm

Wednesday, June 28

Somerville

Grantee: Somerville Museum

Location: Bow Market (tentative), 1 Bow Market Way, Somerville

Time: 5pm

Friday, June 30

Worcester

Grantee: NAACP Worcester

Location: Worcester City Hall, 455 Main St, Worcester

Time: 12pm

Saturday, July 1

Beverly

Grantee: Beverly Historical Society Inc.

Location: Hale Farm, 39 Hale St, Beverly

Time: 10am

Marion

Grantee: Marion Art Center, Inc.

Location: Marion Community Center, 465 Mill St, Marion

Time: 1pm

Sunday, July 2

Concord

Grantee: The Robbins House

Location: 320 Monument St, Concord

Time: 11am

Monday, July 3

Lynn

Grantee: Northshore Juneteenth Association

Location: Frederick Douglas Park, 1-15 Exchange St, Lynn

Time: 11am

Northampton

Grantee: Historic Northampton,

Location: 46 Bridge St, Northampton

Time: 11:30am

Boston

Grantee: Boston Partners

Location: Boston Common in front of the 54th Regiment Statue

Time: 12pm

Tuesday, July 4

North Andover

Grantee: Friends of the 1836 Meeting House

Location: North Andover Town Common

Time: 10:30am

Boston

Grantee: Downtown Boston Partnership, Inc.

Location: The Steps at the corner of Washington & Franklin Streets

Time: 1:30 – 3:30pm

Norwood

Grantee: Old Parish Preservation Volunteers, Inc.

Location: Old Parish Cemetery, 480 Washington St, Norwood

Time: 2pm

Oak Bluffs

Grantee: The Helene Johnson and Dorothy West Foundation For Artists In Need

Location: Inkwell Beach, 83 Seaview Ave, Oak Bluffs

Time: 11am

Plainfield

Grantee: Plainfield Reads

Location: Alden Pavilion (behind Library), 312 Main St, Plainfield

Time: TBD

Springfield

Grantee: MLK Family Services

Location: Court Square, 92-98 Court House Pl, Springfield

Time: 6pm

Medford

Grantee: Royall House and Slave Quarters

Location: 15 George St, Medford

Time: 12pm

Wednesday, July 5

East Falmouth

Grantee: Cape Cod Cape Verdean Museum and Cultural Center

Location: 67 Davisville Road, East Falmouth

Time: 4pm

Sunday, July 9

Sharon

Grantee: Sharon Historical Society

Location: 16 High St, Sharon

Time: 4pm

Sunday, July 23

Fall River

Grantee: Creative Arts Network

Location: Heritage State Park, Davol St, Fall River

Time: 1pm

Monday, August 28

Longmeadow

Grantee: IDEAL4Gifted

Location: Virtual

Time: TBD

Saturday, September 23

Hadley

Grantee: Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum

Location: Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum, 130 River Dr, Hadley

Time: TBD

Thursday, December 14

Peabody

Grantee: Peabody Institute Library

Location: 82 Main St, Peabody

Time: TBD

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