This presentation examines the 2025 discovery of the grave of Philis Cave and Nancy Milan; two formerly enslaved women buried in Central Cemetery and explores how local research can recover overlooked histories of slavery in New England. The gravesite was uncovered during research for Set at Liberty: Stories of the Enslaved People in a New England Town, an exhibition developed …
By Joey Phoenix Everyone knows about Salem’s Witch History, but few realize the significance of its anti-slavery connection with its ties to The Underground Railroad – including a series of smuggling tunnels beneath the city of Salem itself, Frederick Douglass, and the Abolitionist movement of the early to mid 19th century. Historical research and interpretation over the last few years …
Charlotte Forten Grimké (August 17, 1837 – July 23, 1914) was an anti-slavery activist, poet, and educator and the first African-American person to teach white students in a Salem, MA public school. “Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better.” —Martin Luther King, Jr. February is Black History Month and Black History is everyone’s history. Here are some of the events …
