We believe Frederick Douglass’ words belong in public spaces. Every year we provide grants to support readings of his influential address, What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?, in town squares, community centers, churches, museums, libraries, parks, and more.
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 2024.
Saturday, June 15
Brockton
Grantee: African American Association of Brockton
Location: 430 Belmont Street Brockton, MA 02301
Time: 2:00 pm
Sunday, June 16
Gloucester
Grantee: Cape Ann Museum
Location: 27 Pleasant Street, Gloucester, MA 01930
Time:12:15 pm
Tuesday, June 18
Boston
Grantee: Maverick Landing Community Services
Location: Lombardi Park (Peace Park) East Boston
Time: 6:30 pm
Salem
Grantee: City of Salem
Location: Riley Plaza, 1-21 Margin St, Salem, MA 01970
Time: 12:45 pm
Wednesday, June 19
Ashburnham
Grantee: New Dawn Arts Center
Location:
Time: 6:00 pm
Bourne
Grantee: Bourne Historical Society
Location: Aptucxet Trading Post, Bourne Village, 30 Keene Street, Bourne, MA 02532
Time: 5:00 pm
Brookline
Grantee: Brookline for the Culture
Location: Florida Ruffin Ridley School, 345 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA 02446
Time: 12:30 pm
Fall River
Grantee: Bristol Black Collective
Location: Duke’s Bakery, 1082 Davol St, Fall River, MA 02720
Time: 11:00 am
Fitchburg
Grantee: Friends of Fitchburg Abolitionist Park
Location: 42-50 Snow Street, Fitchburg, MA 01420
Time: 11:00 am
Framingham
Grantee: Jookender Community Initiatives
Location: Zoom
Time: 8:30 pm
Greenfield
Grantee: Local Access to Valley Arts (The LAVA Center)
Location: Beacon Park, Greenfield, MA
Time: 2:10 pm
Haverhill
Grantee: Haverhill Historical Society, DBA Buttonwoods Museum
Location: Whittier Birthplace, 305 Whittier Rd, Haverhill, MA 01830
Time: 6:00 pm
Lee
Grantee: Berkshire Resources for Integration of Diverse Groups and Education (BRIDGE)
Location: TBD
Time: 6:00 pm
Medway
Grantee: Medway Marches
Location: Medway Community Farm, 50 Winthrop St, Medway, MA 02053
Time: 2:15 pm
Natick
Grantee: Natick Historical Society
Location: Common Street Spiritual Center at 13 Common Street in Natick Center.
Time: 11:00 am
Quincy
Grantee: For Black Girls
Location: TBD
Time: 3:00 pm
Saturday, June 22
Attleboro
Grantee: National Black Doll Museum
Location: Capron Park, 201 County St, Attleboro, MA 02703
Time: 1:00 pm
Sunday, June 23
Jamaica Plain
Grantee: Jamaica Plain Historical Society
Location:
Time: 4:00 pm
Thursday, June 27
Milton
Grantee: Forbes House Museum
Location: 215 Adams Street, Milton, MA 02186
Time: 6:30 pm
Somerville
Grantee: Somerville Museum
Location: 215 Adams Street, Milton, MA 02186
Time: 5:30 pm
Worcester
Grantee: NAACP Worcester
Location: TBD
Time: 12:00 pm
Saturday, June 29
Beverly
Grantee: Beverly Historical Society
Location: Hale Farm, 39 Hale Street Beverly, MA 01915
Time: 10:00 am
Northampton
Grantee: Historic Northampton
Location: Grounds of Historic Northampton, 46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA
Time: 11:00 am
Roxbury
Grantee: United Neighbors of Lower Roxbury
Location: Frederick Douglass Peace Park, Roxbury
Time: 1:00 pm
Tuesday, July 2
Boston
Sponsor: Mass Humanities
Location: Boston Common, 139 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02111
Time: 12:00 pm
Wednesday, July 3
Hadley
Grantee: Porter-Phelps-Huntington Foundation
Location: 130 River Drive, Hadley, MA 01035
Time: 6:30 pm
Lynn
Grantee: North Shore Juneteenth Association
Location: Frederick Douglass Park, 1-15 Exchange St. Lynn, MA
Time: 11:00 am
Springfield
Grantee: Indian Orchard Citizens Council
Location: Loon Pond, 419 Pasco Road, Springfield, MA
Time: 12:00 pm
Thursday, July 4
Boston
Grantee: The Salvation Army Boston Kroc Center
Location: 650 Dudley Street, Boston, MA 02125
Time: 12:00 pm
Boston
Grantee: Downtown Boston Partnership
Location: Franklin Steps (corner of Washington and Franklin Streets) in downtown Boston.
Time: 1:30 pm
Concord
Grantee: The Robbins House
Location: 320 Monument St, Concord, MA 01742
Time: 10:00 am
Medford
Grantee: Royall House and Slave Quarters
Location: 15 George Street, Medford, MA 02155
Time: 11:00 am
Newburyport
Grantee: Historical Society of Old Newbury
Location: 98 High Street, Newburyport, MA 01950
Time: 10:00 am
North Andover
Grantee: Friends of the 1836 Meeting House
Location: North Andover Common, North Andover, MA 01845
Time: 11:00 am
Norwood
Grantee: Old Parish Preservation Volunteers
Location: 480 Washington St rear, Norwood, MA 02062
Time: 2:00 pm
Oak Bluffs
Grantee: The Helene Johnson and Dorothy West Foundation For Artists In Need
Location: The Tabernacle, 80 Trinity Park, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557
Time: 12:00 pm
Plainfield
Grantee: Plainfield Reads
Location: Alden Pavilion, behind Shaw Memorial Library (312 Main Street, Plainfield).
Time: 10:00 am
Springfield
Grantee: Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services
Location: Downtown Springfield, at Court Square, before the fireworks display in the evening.
Time: 6:00 pm
Friday, July 5
Amherst
Grantee: South Congregational Church
Location: 1066 South East Street, Amherst, MA 01002
Time: 3:00 pm
East Falmouth
Grantee: Cape Code Cape Verdean Museum and Cultural Center
Location: 67 Davisville Road, East Falmouth, MA 02536
Time: 1:00 pm
Edgartown
Grantee: Friends of the Edgartown Public Library
Location: The Federated Church of Martha’s Vineyard, 45 S Summer St, Edgartown, MA 02539
Time: 11:00 am
Grafton
Grantee: Unitarian Universalist Society of Grafton and Upton
Location: Grafton Common, Grafton, MA 01519
Time: 6:00 pm
Greenfield
Grantee: Local Access to Valley Arts (The LAVA Center)
Location: 324 Main Street, Greenfield, MA
Time: 5:00 pm
Marblehead
Grantee: Marblehead Racial Justice Team (sponsored by Clifton Lutheran Church)
Location: TBD
Time: 4:00 pm
Saturday, July 6
Medford
Grantee: West Medford Community Center
Location: 111 Arlington St, Medford, MA, United States, Massachusetts
Time: TBD
Sunday, July 7
Brighton
Grantee: Brighton Allston Congregational Church
Location:404 Washington Street, Brighton MA 02135
Time: 10:30 am
Sharon
Grantee: Sharon Historical Society
Location: 16 High Street, Sharon, MA, United States, MA 02067
Time: 4:00 pm
Tuesday, July 9
Boston
Grantee: Mission Hill Health Movement
Location: Parker Hill Branch of Boston Public Library, 1497 Tremont St, Roxbury, MA 02120
Time: 3:15 pm
Saturday, July 13
Brockton
Grantee: Frederick Douglass Neighborhood Association
Location: Frederick Douglass Garden, 95 Frederick Douglass Way, Brockton, MA 02301
Time: 1:00 pm
Wednesday, July 17
Jamaica Plain
Grantee: Egleston Square Neighborhood Association & Robert G. Lawson Park Friends Group
Location: TBD
Time: 6:00 pm
Thursday, July 18
Springfield
Grantee: Community Leaders United By Overcoming Hardships
Location: Located in Tower Square, 1500 Main Street #2, Springfield, MA 01103
Time: 6:00 pm
Saturday, July 20
Waltham
Grantee: The Waltham Museum
Location: 25 Lexington St, Waltham, MA 02452
Time: 2:00 pm
Sunday, August 25
Norton
Grantee: Norton Cultural Council
Location: 70 East Main Street, Norton, MA 02766-2320
Time: 2:00 pm
Sunday, October 19
Norwood
Grantee: Nopi Inc DBA The Road to Diversity and Understanding
Location: Mansfield South Common
Time: 12:00 pm
