Boston African American National Historic Site

Join the Museum of African American History for an afternoon of storytelling!

Read along with the Museum of African American History as they celebrate Black History Month at the museum. We Go Slow illustrates the story of a grandfather and his granddaughter exploring their neighborhood without the restriction of time. On their walk, they engage in all their senses and walk through the streets with wonder.

Join the Museum of African American History for "A Little History"!

Sunday, February 8, 2026 
Museum of African American History (46 Joy St., Boston)
1:00-2:00PM

A Little History is a fun-filled interactive educational workshop that highlights the importance of such historic figures as Phillis Wheatley, Garrett Morgan, Angela Davis, Barack Obama and more! Young elementary students are encouraged sing, clap, move, imagine, and invent as they explore the stories of these trailblazing historical figures.

Presented by COOS Teaching Artist Caden Burston.

The Museum of African American History's Abiel Smith School and African Meeting House are both fully accessible by wheelchair users and have accessible restrooms. More information can be obtained at www.maah.org/boston-location or by calling (617) 725-0022 x330.

Join the Museum of African American History for "From Ideas to Institutions: The Process of Making Black History"

February 13, 2026 
Museum of African American History (46 Joy St., Boston)
5:30-8:30PM

Panel Discussion & After Party

From ideas to institutions, discover how Black history is created, preserved, and celebrated. This panel brings scholars together to explore the stories, strategies, and vision behind the institutions that honor Black history.

Stay after the discussion to continue the conversation and enjoy an evening of connection, music, and reflection. Be part of shaping and celebrating Black history with us.

Join the Museum of African American History for "Digging Deeper into Black Voices of the Revolution"

February 17, 2026 
Museum of African American History (46 Joy St., Boston)
5pm-7pm

A Conversation with Dr. Nedra Lee & MAAH Chief Curator & Director of Collections Angela Tate

Hear the stories that history often leaves out. MAAH’s Chief Curator and Director of Collections and UMass Boston Professor Dr. Nedra Lee will discuss the process of assembling and curating our Black Voices of the Revolution exhibit. From rare found cowrie shells to interactive exhibits that allow visitors to dive deeper into the perspectives of key figures like Lucy Terry Prince, Phillis Wheatley Peters, Chloe Spear, among other important women in Boston & Nantucket's history.

Experience the conversation, honor these voices, and engage with history in a new way.

Join the Museum of African American History (MAAH) for an afternoon of storytelling!

Be apart of the storytime circle! Join the MAAH for a reading of Joy Takes Root with author Gwendolyn Wallace!

In this story about the importance of intergenerational wisdom, a young Black girl journies into the world of herbal medicine, gardening, and mindfulness during a summer spent with her grandmother.

The book's author, Gwendolyn Wallace, will read this engaging Children’s Storytime, bringing joy, creativity, and meaningful conversation to young readers and their families.

Join the Museum of African American History for the premiere of "In Search of Phillis Wheatley Peters"

February 26, 2026 
Museum of African American History (46 Joy St., Boston)
5pm-7pm

Uncover the untold story of her marriage, freedom, and legacy in Revolutionary America.

‘In Search of Phillis Wheatley Peters’ is a 35-minute documentary that reclaims the life of Phillis Wheatley Peters by illuminating a largely overlooked chapter of her story: her marriage to John Peters and the radical choices she made in pursuit of autonomy, dignity, and love.

Drawing on groundbreaking archival research by historian Dr. Cornelia Dayton, the film brings newly uncovered documents and historical evidence to life, challenging long-standing narratives that have framed Phillis primarily as a literary prodigy shaped by others. Instead, the film situates her as an abolitionist actively navigating the political, economic, and racial constraints of Revolutionary-era Boston.

At the center of the film is Phillis’s 1778 marriage to John Peters, a free Black man, entrepreneur, and advocate who shared her belief in self-determination. Together, they confronted poverty, racism, and legal precarity in a society that offered little protection to Black families in the aftermath of the American Revolution. Their partnership emerges not as a footnote, but as a deliberate and meaningful act—one that reshapes how we understand Phillis’s later life and work.

Featuring insights from leading scholars, poets, and cultural historians, ‘In Search of Phillis Wheatley Peters’ reframes Phillis not only as a foundational literary figure, but as a revolutionary woman whose choices—intellectual, emotional, and political—continue to resonate today.

Join the Museum of African American History for "From Ideas to Institutions: The Process of Making Black History"

April 16, 2026 
Museum of African American History (46 Joy St., Boston)
5:30-7:00PM

Uncover hidden gems in Boston's history through this interactive workshop!

Join artists Clarese Hill and Elisa Hamilton at the Museum of African American History for a hands-on workshop exploring how historical objects can act as tangible entry points for tracing the stories of Boston’s Black community in the 1800s.

Join the Museum of African American History for "Black Boston in Focus: A Public Art Walking Tour"

April 18, 2026 
Museum of African American History (46 Joy St., Boston)
1:00-3:00PM

Join artists Elisa Hamilton and Clareese Hill on a special artist-led walking tour of their two public art projects.

Experience Beacon Hill through art and history with Elisa Hamilton and Clareese Hill on a walking tour of their public art projects, Glimpses of Glapion and The Black Boston Dream Oracle. The tour begins at 1:00 pm at Boston Common Visitors Center and is followed by a reception and Q&A at the Museum of African American History at 2:15 pm. Explore digital and XR works that bring Boston’s Black history and stories to life through immersive storytelling and reflection.

Join the Museum of African American History for "Living Language: A Poetry Celebration of Voice with Amanda Shea"

April 25, 2026 
Museum of African American History (46 Joy St., Boston)
4:00-6:00PM

An intergenerational poetry experience celebrating liberation, storytelling, and creative expression featuring special guest Amanda Shea.

In honor of National Poetry Month, Living Language is an evening of poetry, reflection, and community celebrating the liberating power of language. Special guest poet Amanda Shea will join the lineup, bringing her dynamic storytelling and perspective to the stage. The evening also includes a limited community open mic for local poets and an interactive mini-workshop, Poetry as Preservation, where participants will write a five-line poem inspired by a museum artifact or exhibit piece. The program closes with a collective reading of audience-created poems and an invitation to continue building community through future MAAH events.

• Free

Register

Register in advance on Eventbrite

Join a Park Ranger from the National Parks of Boston to explore the rich history of the Black community in 1800s Beacon Hill.

The Black Heritage Trail® showcases residences and community buildings associated with a Black community that thrived on, and near, the north slope of Beacon Hill before, during, and after the American Civil War. Throughout that time, this community organized for equal rights and access to equal education. Community members championed the movement to abolish slavery and even housed freedom seekers on their journey along the Underground Railroad.

This tour lasts approximately 90 minutes. Register for the tour in advance on eventbrite. It begins at the Massachusetts 54th Regiment across the street from the Massachusetts State House and ends at the Museum of African American History, covering about 1.4 miles.

The Black Heritage Trail Tour runs Wednesday through Sunday at 10 am and 1 pm.

*In case of weather, Rangers will offer an indoor option in the basement of Faneuil Hall, also known as the "Find Your Park Space."