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2024 Reading Frederick Douglass Events Announced

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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: 84 Main Street, Ashburnham, MA, 01430

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: First Baptist Church of Jamaica Plain, 633 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

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

 

 

 

 

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