New Archaeological Exhibit

Parallel Lives, Common Landscape:
Artifacts from the Royall House and Slave Quarters

Open during Public Programs and by appointment

At the Royall House and Slave Quarters, 15 George Street, Medford, MA (just off Main Street).

Details: From 1999-2001 a full-scale archaeological dig was conducted by Ricardo Elia, Ph. D. (1999-2000) and Alexandra Chan, Ph. D., (2000-2001) on the grounds of the Royall House and Slave Quarters in Medford, Massachusetts. This huge effort revealed thousands of artifacts from the Royall period (1732-1775), that help illuminate "the meanings of freedom and independence ... in the context of a household of wealthy Loyalists and enslaved Africans." (from our Mission Statement).

This new Exhibit features a selection of compelling objects, including rare physical evidence of the lives of those held in bondage by the Royalls. Dr. Chan has curated the Exhibit and provided text for the explanatory panels. Produced under a permit from the Massachusetts Historical Commission, with major support from the Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation.

A new book - The Curator of the Exhibit, Alexandra Chan, Ph. D., has published a new book about the archeological dig and its meaning - Slavery in the Age of Reason: Archaeology at a New England Farm (U. of Tennessee Press).

For more information, go to: http://utpress.org/a/searchdetails.php?jobno=T01197&authorsm=Chan,%20Alexandra%20A.

The book is available for sale from the Royall House Association. Download a printable pdf order form.

Public Programs

Early Spring Program – March 17, 2010 - 7:30 p.m. – Free

The Many Faces of Early Colonial Slavery: True Stories from Medford and New England

Diane Rapaport
Historian and Author

Diane Rapaport will trace the lives of forgotten African-Americans and other people enslaved in colonial New England—some in Medford—during the 17th and early 18th centuries. These true and often surprising stories are drawn from her research in unpublished court records and little-known archives and reveal new perspectives on northern slavery and race relations.

Diane Rapaport is a well-known historian, researcher, attorney and lecturer who specializes in early New England history with a focus on oft-neglected court records. She is the author of The Naked Quaker in which "Quakers and other forgotten Americans—feisty, unruly and surprisingly irreverent—come to life in court cases from colonial New England." Previously, she wrote New England Court Records: a Research Guide for Genealogists and Historians. More information may be found at www.dianerapaport.com.

Free and open to the public. Donations are welcome. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for our Shop and the archaeological exhibit. The program starts at 7:30 p.m. For more information, please call (781) 396-9032 or e-mail Cloaking .