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One of the many narratives
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'They looked not at the color of my skin, but judged me from my internal qualifications'
The Congregational Library & Archives is perhaps best known for its stories of white Puritans. But our collection also holds many more diverse voices from across history.
On the third floor of the stacks, there is a box filled with pamphlets and small books from the early nineteenth century. The thin, yellowing volumes contain the first-person narratives of former slaves. The narratives offer portraits of individual men: the violence, heartbreak, and suffering their narrators faced as slaves punctuated with the overwhelming joy of freedom, and fascinating reflections on the United States.
The earliest narrative, first published in 1798, told the story of Venture Smith, who was about nine years old when he arrived in Narragansett, Rhode Island. He remembers violence in his native Guinea that led to his being captured, and he remembers the slave ship crossing the Atlantic.
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History, in two and three dimensions
It has been cold and snowy here in Boston and across much of the United States, but at least one of our members relishes the wintry weather. When we caught up with Carolyn Sundquist, she was headed out for her Monday morning ice skating session in Duluth, Minnesota. She was happy to have the chance to talk about her interest in the Congregational Library & Archives, and the many reasons why she values her membership.
One reason dovetails with her deep involvement in architectural preservation. Carolyn lives in a home built in 1911 and occupied by her family since 1921. Her success at preserving her own home, and later public buildings, evolved into a passion for historic preservation public policy and advocacy."Architectural preservation is history in 3-D," says Carolyn.
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Become a Member
Did you know that our collection needs to be kept at 68 °F? Your contribution will help keep history warm for many winters to come.
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Upcoming Events
Discovering New England's Hidden Histories
From the New England Puritans to the United Church of Christ: What Happened?
Thursday, February 25, 2016 at First Church in Cambridge, MA
On The Origins of Congregationalism Sunday, February 28, 2016 at Hancock Congregational Church, Lexington, MA
History Matters Series - Unearthing the Working-Class Origins of the American Social Gospel
Wednesday, March 2, 2016 LEARN MORE
History Matters series - The Last Puritans Wednesday, March 23, 2016
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