Political Violence: From the Boston Massacre to Today

The Boston Massacre is most often thought of as a turning point on the road to the American Revolution. On that cold and moonlit night in March 1770, British soldiers fired on and killed five men outside the Old State House after a confrontation in the streets that was fueled in part by Bostonians’ collective anger at being under occupied by thousands of British troops for two years. In the coming years, colonial leaders built support for independence by calling out the British for perpetrating violence against its subjects. 

This March 5, Revolutionary Spaces will mark the anniversary of the Boston Massacre by reflecting on the impacts that political violence of many forms leaves on a person, a community, and a society. Small groups of program participants will travel from room to room at the Old State House, engaging with poets and storytellers with roots in Cambodia, Haiti, Laos, and the United States who will speak to their personal experiences with the reverberations of violence by the state. In this Living Library format, program participants will hear each speaker’s story in turn and engage in respectful dialogue with them.

We hope participants will leave with a deeper grasp of the ways in which violence by the state sadly remains a universal human experience, as well as the importance of sustaining memory to make change.

This program is free thanks to the generous support of the Lowell Institute. Space is very limited and pre-registration is required to attend. Entrance times will be staggered every 15 minutes starting at 1:00 pm. This program will run for approximately one hour. Click here to select a start time; each participant must register separately.

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