Slavery and Abolitionism on Cape Cod

Slavery and Abolitionism on Cape Cod

Author Talk

By Falmouth Museums on the Green

Date and time

Wednesday, June 11 · 4 - 5:30pm EDT

Location

Falmouth Historical Society

55 Palmer Avenue Falmouth, MA 02540

Refund Policy

Refunds up to 7 days before event

About this event

  • Event lasts 1 hour 30 minutes

Slavery and Abolitionism on Cape Cod, June 11, 2025 at 4pm

From the era of the Puritans right through to the end of the Revolutionary War, Boston was a central hub for the slave trade. Slaves were brought on board ships from the African coast with regularity, often mastered by Cape Cod Sea captains. The number of slaves per household was much smaller in the Northeast as compared to the South, yet nonetheless, a much-needed labor force was desired, reaching its zenith when our nation first officially started.

After Massachusetts legally prohibited its practice in 1780, sea captains became engaged in a variety of ways within its continuance. There were some captains who brought them in surreptitiously, while others enhanced the slave market in other indirect ways. Polarizing lines were drawn up. The commonwealth’s maritime industry became quite divided with some fighting for the cause of abolitionism while other captains wished only to witness a very slow demise of this profitable endeavor.

The book discusses religious views, political platforms, economic factors, and social movements that existed during the pre-Civil War period. We gain an insight into the thinking of the day. Sharing several profiles of notable Black slaves living in Massachusetts demonstrates the enormous contributions made to the overall growth of our country.

$20 Non-Members/ $10 Members, or donation based ticket. Light refreshments served.

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Falmouth Museums on the Green

The Falmouth Museums on the Green, owned and operated by the Falmouth Historical Society, is a two-acre campus that has been serving the residents and visitors of Falmouth since 1900. One of the most popular sites in Falmouth for visitors, it contains the 1790 Dr. Francis Wicks House—a magnificent Federalist-period residence with guided tours demonstrating what life was like for an affluent physician in the late 18th and early 19th centuries; the recently-restored 1730 Conant House—used for exhibits, research and genealogy studies; the Hallett Barn Visitors’ Center—rebuilt in 2002 on the site of an original barn and used a welcoming point for those coming to Falmouth as well as the “Whaling Wives Gift Shop”; the Colonial Gardens—showing off plantings, such as a boxwood tree, that go back to the days prior to the American Revolution; Memorial Park—a tranquil place of refuge that is open to all visitors looking for relaxation; and the recently-opened (2012) Cultural Center—a superb, 3600 square foot structure used for public and private programs and events, public restrooms, kitchen facilities, and as a repository for archival collections to preserve Falmouth’s past. It also has a series of rotating historical exhibits throughout the campus.

From $11.49