Feb 3 – History Café: Local History and the Black Experience in Slavery and Freedom

Thu February 3, 2022

How do we bring the stories of both enslaved and free Black residents to the forefront of local history, and what can one city’s experiences teach Cantabrigians about uncovering these stories within our own communities?

In our quest to do “history without borders,” we will be speaking with Dr. Barbara Brown of Hidden Brookline, an organization dedicated to bringing to light the history of slavery and freedom in Brookline. Dr. Brown will discuss the group’s founding and the challenges and successes they have encountered. She will also share the story of teacher, writer and activist Florida Ruffin Ridley, whose life and work intersected closely with that of Cambridge’s own Maria Baldwin.

This program will be moderated by Dr. Tatiana Cruz, Professor of History and Interdisciplinary Program Director of Africana Studies at Simmons University and History Cambridge board member. A native of Brookline, Dr. Cruz holds both a personal and professional interest in issues of race, public history, and memory in these two cities, and will help us to explore the importance of regional histories and the lessons that Cambridge can learn from the work of Hidden Brookline.