Mass Humanities’ Latoya Bosworth, Ph.D., speaks with Gianna Russi, Director of King’s Chapel History Program, about the organization’s work during the 250th.
Latoya Bosworth (LB): With the 250th in mind, what are the big questions that King’s Chapel is thinking about this year?
Gianna Russi (GR): One overall theme that we’ve encountered in light of the 250th is this theme of freedom. It’s in the title “Freedom Trail.” It’s a big topic throughout the site’s history and in our tour offerings And so one of my goals for the 250th for King’s Chapel, especially in the midst of our living memorial project, is activating our new statue Unbound and all she stands for the 219+ enslaved individuals connected to the church’s history. To bring that to life, means asking a broader question about freedom.
Who fought for freedom? What cost came with fighting for freedom? Because freedom was not free. And freedom wasn’t ultimately granted after the American Revolution. So, I think really challenging folks to not just think about freedom during the American Revolution, and the household names they’re accustomed to hearing about, household names like John Hancock or Samuel Adams, for example. But, thinking about the common person during this time, and thinking about people that were fighting for abolition, not when we most hear about it occurring nationally like during the 1840s and 50s (yes, that of course, too) but also during the 1770s, when the fight for abolition is occurring right here in Boston. There’s an alternative story here that’s happening at the same time as the American Revolution. I think bringing these stories to life has been something that has been so rewarding. Something we really love to do. Something that’s really activating the statue and all it stands for, and something we hope to continue doing with our programs in connection with Mass Humanities.
LB: I love what you just said about common people. Oftentimes we always think about those historical figures. And before they did what they did, or we started to document what they did, they were everyday common people. Common everyday people can do these extraordinary things and that everybody has a role.
GR: Absolutely.
LB: My next question is actually about your project title, which is “Journey Toward Reconciliation: A Memorial to Enslaved Persons at King’s Chapel.” Could you tell us a bit about how you all settled on that title?
GR: There are two really important words there, “journey”and “reconciliation”. “Journey,” because it’s the understanding that it’s not ending. It’s always going to be a journey towards understanding, towards reckoning with this history and all it stands for. And there’s always a next step, always something to aspire to. And so understanding that it’s a long term thing, it’s something that’s going to be continued to be grappled with for years and years.
And also “reconciliation” being another important part. It’s really about reconciling with the history. It’s about reckoning with it. This is something the congregation at large and also the Living Memorial is really hoping to achieve.
LB: I love that you called it a journey because I think, again, a lot of times we look for answers. We show up someplace for a training or an event. We get an answer. We read a book. Or, we learned about these things. We leave with these concrete things. With the journey, it’s continuous. It’s always going. There’s more to it. And I think that’s important in helping people to reconcile is to know that it’s not, “you attended this event and now you’ve reconciled,” or now you understand. It’s: “I understand a little bit more, and next time I’ll understand more.” And there’s other perspectives and other ways in which to do that.
GR: And it’s not always going to look clean. It’s not always going to have these clean “takeaways.” But it’s something that’s continuous and evolving.
LB: As we talk about those 219+ plus enslaved by members of the church, what ideas do you hope to shed light on?
GR: These 219+ enslaved individuals, they’re connected to the church, either through direct enslavement by a parishioner or a minister. Or, they show up in our church records, either through marriage, burial, or baptismal records. And so honoring these folks, honoring their lives, is something that’s incredibly pivotal. Yes, in the statue and in reflecting with the statue and all it means as a piece of public art. And also in the history that stands behind it.
What I really want people to take away is a reflection on the legacy of slavery. Not just slavery as having happened, but also understanding the roots of enslavement and how it has affected our country and how it has affected all of our lives today, culminating in systemic issues. Because history isn’t existing in this separate sphere and separate world, it’s very much intertwined with who we are today and how we perceive our identities.
I hope people take their own journey into account and reckon with this history and what it means to them. It is also vital to acknowledge the common day folks, because everyone is a common person. The only difference is: who did you read about in middle school? There are a lot of reasons that culminate in us reading the names that we did in middle school and why others remain “common” people. A value I greatly admire in interpretation is the understanding that these folks, might have dressed differently, they might have talked a little differently than we do today, but they’re just as human with the same fears, the same anxieties, the same thoughts, the same hearts. Understanding that humanity was lost in this system and just reckoning with their stories and what we have of them that we can share.
LB: So this reconciliation is bringing back the humanity of those folks. Right?
GR: Right.
LB: And also the connection to religion and the role that it played when we looked at the enslavement of Africans in America. The connection to that is also a different take than we’ve seen from other projects.
GR: Absolutely. And it’s also teaching folks the contradictions that happened within churches. I think that’s something that a lot of people, when they come into our space, are struck with. Just the contradiction. They don’t expect to learn about slavery and specifically the enslavement by parishioners and ministers, because that sort of contradiction is something that’s really clear from the get go.
LB: Yeah. I think it also helps us to look at things that are happening today, too, and the connection to religion and people’s political rights. I think it’s a great connection in doing the work.
Our grant title was “Promises of the Revolution.” As we look at the American Revolution, we were talking about what has been unfulfilled even to this day. And so how do you see examining that question playing out in your work?
GR: Great question. Like I just mentioned with the names that we’ve read in history books, there’s a whole slew of reasons why we have people that are now considered household names. For Paul Revere, one reason was a poem that was written in the 1860s by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. That’s how many know him for this re-telling of Midnight Ride. There’s a whole slew of reasons.
Something that I think has been unfulfilled is teaching folks about the humanity that’s rooted in history. About the everyday folks. About connecting their hearts to history, their every day to history. The goal is: if people walk away with something, just one thing, they’re really mulling over, that they can connect to their lives, that they can make important to them and their story, then that’s a job well done.
Because it’s not just memorizing facts and walking away with a few dates that you learned. It’s really about connecting history to your story, about how you want to walk away, how it changes or maybe keeps the same, your worldview and your everyday life. These are human beings. The only difference is that they’ve passed, and they can’t tell their story. So now we’re here to tell it for them.
Also, adding voices like women of the time, like marginalized communities, people who were enslaved during the time, it tells a fuller picture about what American history was and is, and what it means to us today and who we are.
LB: The line that stuck with me was connecting hearts to history. Because like you said, you’re not just connecting hearts to history, but connecting it to the full history. We’re not talking about segments of history. We’re talking about an inclusive history. Being able to connect it to their personal lives. That’s how we bring back the humanity to history, when people are able to see themselves, or see how they would respond, if they were in that situation.
Thank you so much for sharing. We’re looking forward to all that comes from “Journey Toward Reconciliation” and all of the work that you’ll do during the 250th and beyond.
GR: Thank you very much.
Read more about King’s Chapel history and humanities work by visiting their website.
