Historians Blaze Black Heritage Trail

The city is uncovering long buried accomplishments of African American Cantabrigians with the placement of the first twenty markers on the Cambridge African American Heritage Trail.

The African American Heritage Project, after two years of research, is about to complete the first phase of its attempts to mark African American strength in Cambridge.

"There will be a place in the country concerned not only with the beginning of America but also African American contributions to early history," said Mayor Kenneth E. Reeves '72.

"The Cambridge trails, combined with the African American Trail in Boston, will give people more of a complete view of what has made Cambridge and Boston the cities they are today," Reeves said.

The first steps of the trail, to be blazed in June, highlight African American Cantabrigians who made strides in political and social change for the United States in the 19th century and early 20th century.

At each site along the trail, one will find an aluminum post and sign photoengraved with a few pages of history and a portrait.

"Almost everyone has forgotten that a century ago, African Americans were very prominent in local and state affairs," said Charles Sullivan, project co-manager of historical programs at the Cambridge Historical Commission.

Sullivan said African Americans in that period lived "all over the city, places that are not necessarily Black neighborhoods today."

Visitors to Cambridge will soon be able to gaze at the home sites of prominent figures such as W.E.B. DuBois. His residence during his years at Harvard, 20 Flagg St., still stands as a reminder of the first Black to earn a doctorate and the founder of the Niagara Movement, the predecessor to the NAACP.

The site of 265 Prospect St., now a vacant lot, marks the former home of Clement Morgan, Cambridge's first Black alderman. An 1890 graduate of Harvard College who graduated from Harvard Law School in 1893, Morgan was also instrumental in the Niagara movement against segregation.

The residence of Pauline Hopkins, the founder and editor of The Colored American magazine, is another stop on the tour.

Other points include the residences of Lewis and Milton Clarke, William Wells Brown, John J. Fatal, Harriet Jacobs, Lunsford Lane, Patrick H. Raymond and Joshua Bowen Smith, all associated with the abolition, emancipation, and reconstruction movements.

Those recognized in connection with the protest era are Louis Baldwin, Rev. J. Henry Duckery, William H. Lewis, Emery T. Morris, Rev. William H. Scott and Rev. P. Thomas Stanford.

Richard T. Greener, Charlotte Hawkins Brown and Alberta V. Scott are honored as symbols of education and social reforms. Franklin H. Wright is chosen as an example of 20th century political activism.

Of course, these 20 sites could not cover the wealth of contributions by those who have actively changed the nation, but these few present a sense of accomplishment that has been unnoticed for a long time, organizers of the trail said.

"The story is being told for the first time," said project co-manager Charlotte Moore. "It is really going to fill in a piece of history that people had no concept of."

Private groups such as the Cambridge African American History Group and the Cambridge Black History and Cultural Association had long been researching African American presence in Cambridge on their own.

In March 1991, Reeves, then vice mayor, brought African American history research to the forefront of city activity.

"It was when I was completing my senior thesis at Harvard in Mather House, while reading one of DuBois's autobiographies, that I came to know the rich history of African Americans in Cambridge," Reeves said.

Nearly 20 years later, Reeves saw a chance to launch by proclamation the African American Heritage Project to highlight African American achievements by drawing on the talents of many scholars.

In a joint venture, private research institutes were matched with city-sponsored associations such as the Cambridge Historical Commission and Cambridge Discovery, a non-profit organization.

For the past two years, project historian Rev. Jeffrey L. Brown and scholarly advisor Henry Louis Gates Jr., DuBois professor of the humanities and chair of Harvard's Afro-American Studies Department, have aided this quest for historical recognition. Moore of Cambridge Discovery and Sullivan of the Cambridge Historical Commission executed the details and physical aspects of the project.

"I feel that we have made significant strides in social relations for all these people to come together and work on this trail," said the Rev. Jeffrey L. Brown.

"Everybody involved has been touched by an urgency to show the community that it has hidden treasure," Brown said.

Brown, pastor of the Union Baptist Church, first became interested in Cambridge African American history when preparing a paper on Black churches for the Harvard Divinity School in 1987.

Now, he has broadened his research to serve the community and in particular the youth of the community.

"It amazed me that none of the children know of the wealth of African American history, around the corner, next door or even in their own homes," Brown said.

Brown said that to help "anchor and encourage" the youth of Cambridge, the African American Heritage Project is working directly with schools and the National Park Service to provide a school curriculum and trail excursions for students.

It was also based on Brown's advice, according to Moore, that the program chose four other phases of the program to extend trails to cover themes in addition to political and social change in the 19th century and early 20th century. Religious history in the African American community, family history, Black-owned businesses and the roles of Blacks in the early days of Cambridge will provide more branches to the project.

The idea of a historic trail in Cambridge will not be limited to only African American citizens. Eventually the trails will branch to possibly cover Irish, Portuguese, Italian and French Canadian Cantabrigians, Reeves said.

"It is very exciting when any group of people rediscover a piece of their history," Gates said. "The creation of historic trails is beneficial to common knowledge."

Although the tour will not open until June, an African American Heritage Trail Calendar has already been published. It features a map of many sites to be included in the tour, along with artwork from Cambridge Ridge and Latin High School students.

The calendar, designed to raise money for the trail, costs $5 and is available at the Cambridge Discovery booth in Harvard Square.

Funding for the African American Heritage project has come from many different sources, including the Lotus Philanthropy Foundation Polaroid Foundation, the Massachusetts Cultural Council and grants received by Cambridge Discovery.

However, organizers said money is still scarce. The original project was to cost $100,000 for course books, trail brochures, site materials and maps.

"We are still shy about $30,000 to 40,000," Reeves said.

To help meet that cost, Reeves will host a benefit buffet at the House of Blues on Sunday featuring gospel music and New Orleans jambalaya.

"The benefit is going to be an extraordinary affair for those interested in African American history in general and in particular Cambridge African American history," said Reeves.

For more information on the benefit, call Cambridge Discovery at 497 - 1631.

The story is being told for the first time. It is really going to fill in a piece of history that people had no concept of.

Charlotte Moore, project co-manager

It is very exciting when any group of people rediscover a piece of their history.

Henry Louis Gates, DuBois Professor of the Humanities

The Cambridge trails will give people more of a complete view of what has made Cambridge and Boston the cities they are today.

Kenneth E. Reeves '72, mayor of Cambridge

Everybody involved has been touched by an urgency to show the community that it has hidden treasure.

Jeffery L. Brown, project historian