Boston Massacre 250th Anniversary kicks off year-long programming

In recognition of the 250th anniversary of the Boston Massacre Revolutionary Spaces is launching a year-long series of events beginning on March 5. The programs, which include a mix of historic exhibits, art, drama and public events, will help Boston residents and visitors alike better connect the history of the Boston Massacre to present day issues of democracy, governance and freedom. These events also signal the start of city-wide commemorations and celebrations leading up to the 250th anniversary of American Independence on July 4, 2026.

“The Boston Massacre is a pivotal historic event that should not be forgotten. At the same time, public history should not be limited to telling stories about our past,” says Nat Sheidley, President and CEO of Revolutionary Spaces. “We’re using the memory of this significant event to both bring history into the present day and use that platform to foster dynamic, interactive conversations about democracy through art, drama, conversation and exhibits.”

Revolutionary Spaces was created earlier this year from a merger of the organizations responsible for stewarding the Old State House and Old South Meeting House. Its mission is to extend the buildings’ history as gathering spaces for the open exchange of ideas and the continuing practice of democracy, as well as to reinvent the way history is shared with the community. Already scheduled Boston Massacre events include:

• March 5 – A Commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of the Boston Massacre will be held at the Old South Meeting House from 7-8 p.m. Governor Charlie Baker will be joined by other key civic and community leaders to reflect on how our most difficult national memories can inspire us to reach for our highest American ideals. Cameras and reporters are welcome.

• March 7 – The Boston Massacre Reenactment will take place in two parts.
• 1-5 p.m.: Reenactors will illustrate the tensions between Boston residents and British soldiers through a combination of interpretations inside and outside of the Old State House, Old South Meeting House and the Edes & Gill Print Shop at Faneuil Hall.
• 7-7:30 p.m.: The reenactment of the Boston Massacre incident will take place outside the Old State House near the Boston Massacre Site on the Freedom Trail. Cameras and reporters are welcome.

• Beginning March 5 – “Reflecting Attucks” – a new temporary exhibit – will open in Representatives Hall at the Old State House. The exhibition will explore the life and memory of Crispus Attucks, a man of African and Native American descent and the first casualty of the Boston Massacre, and provoke visitors to consider how Attucks has been remembered over the past 250 years. To complement the exhibit, Revolutionary Spaces will offer special tours and facilitated dialogues in the galleries. The exhibit will be on display until March 2021 and is included in museum admission.

These events kick off a full year of activities at the Old State House and Old South Meeting House. Through the end of October, guests will be able to experience public art, plays, panel discussions, and interactive programs. For up-to-date information throughout the year, please visit www.RevolutionarySpaces.org.

About Revolutionary Spaces
Revolutionary Spaces connects people to the history and continuing practice of democracy through the intertwined stories of two of the nation’s most iconic sites — Boston’s Old South Meeting House and Old State House. We explore history through programs and exhibitions, foster a free and open exchange of ideas, create gathering places, and preserve and steward historic buildings.

About the Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a pivotal event in the unraveling of the British empire. Starting in the late 1760s, Boston became an unwilling host to more than 1,000 soldiers sent to reinforce the eroding authority of the Crown, but their presence only gave fuel to the popular protests they were meant to suppress. On the night of March 5, 1770, a detachment of soldiers fired into an angry crowd gathered in King Street (now Boston’s State Street), wounding many and causing the deaths of five men, including Crispus Attucks, a self-liberated sailor of mixed African and Native American identity. With their deaths, Boston and America would never be the same.