Blog - Page 3 of 29 - The Robbins House

The Robbins House Wishes you a Happy and Healthy New Year

The oldest existing mention of slavery in Massachusetts was recorded in 1638, when Africans arrived in the colony on the…

Support The Robbins House this Giving Tuesday

Dear Friends, As a prominent African American historic site, The Robbins House is singularly positioned to foster broader education and…

Ekua Holmes, An Afternoon with Authors and Illustrators

Ekua Holmes, the author and illustrator of Black is a Rainbow Color, is coming to the Museum this Sunday (December…

The Robbins House: A School. Sugar. A Slave Bell.

The Robbins House in collaboration with the Concord Free Public Library present: A School. Sugar. A Slave Bell. A Presentation…

Concord Festival of Authors: The Robbins House presents Ray Shepard, author of A Long Time Coming

CONCORD FESTIVAL OF AUTHORS 2023 Ray Shepard author of A Long Time Coming A Lyrical Biography of Race in America…

Caribbean Americans & Politics: Celebrating 50 Years Of The Caribbean American Carnival In Boston

Caribbean Americans & Politics: Celebrating 50 Years of the Caribbean American Carnival in Boston

Thursday, 24 August | 6:00 PM Caribbean Americans & Politics: Celebrating 50 Years of the Caribbean American Carnival in Boston…

Juneteenth Childrens’ Art Event

Looking ahead to the weekend before Juneteenth, we are planning a childrens' art event. Details to follow.

Juneteenth Celebration

Looking ahead to Juneteenth 2023, we are planning a joyous, family friendly celebration that includes food and music. Details to…

Dr. Jill Ogline Titus Speaks On Gettysburg 1963: Civil Rights & Black History in An Iconic American Town

Join us at The Concord Museum with Dr. Jill Titus who will speak on her book Gettysburg 1963: Civil Rights,…

The Other Side by Jaqueline Woodson Storywalk at The Robbins House

Family friendly event! Come walk the grounds of The Robbins House while reading The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson at…

The Robbins House is celebrating Ellen Garrison! J

The Robbins House is celebrating Ellen Garrison! Join us for an evening of musical performances, singing, and the reading of Ellen's letters by local students (including a new letter recently found that will be read for the first time in 150 years). Sunday, April 13th at 6 pm at TriCon Church. Free and open to the public, no reservations needed.

The Robbins House is getting ready to open for the

The Robbins House is getting ready to open for the season! We will be open on Sunday, April 13th from 10-4 pm. This year, we will be open every day from mid-April to the end of October from 10-4 pm. Come and visit and learn about the members of the Robbins and Garrison families. Visit the robbinshouse.org for more information and upcoming events.

John Garrison, Ellen's older brother, was born on

John Garrison, Ellen's older brother, was born on March 31, 1815. As a child, John Garrison was known as a good scholar and also the best skater in Concord. Like other male members of his family, in his youth he worked as a seasonal laborer for Concord property owners, including planting fruit trees for Ralph Waldo Emerson.

In the 1860's John Garrison became the Concord Town House superintendent, a post that provided steady work and made him a prominent figure in the community. John was eventually able to buy three acres of land and build a stylish Victorian cottage off of Monument Street.

The social justice activism that ran deep within the Robbins family also impacted John Garrison as well. Like his mother and sisters, he signed petitions in the time period opposing railroad discrimination based on race, slave hunting and the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act.

Happy Birthday!

Join us in celebrating the 3rd Annual Ellen Garris

Join us in celebrating the 3rd Annual Ellen Garrison Day at Tricon Church on Sunday, April 13th at 600 pm. The evening will be filled with musical performances and dramatic readings as we honor the life and legacy of Civil Rights Activist, Ellen Garrison. For more information, go to robbinshouse.org. Free and open to the public, no reservations necessary.

We are open this Wednesday afternoon! March 12th f

We are open this Wednesday afternoon! March 12th from 2-4 pm!

Come visit the house and play a game of Pass the Slipper, Blindman’s Bluff, a Game of Graces and make a whirligig to take home. Take a tour of The Robbins House and rediscover the stories of Caesar Robbins, Susan and Ellen Garrison and their families and how they fought for equality and justice throughout their lives. No registration required. Free and open to the public.

In honor of the opening of the Ellen Garrison Buil $In honor of the opening of the Ellen Garrison Building at the Concord Middle School this morning, here is a little Ellen trivia to brighten your day. This is Ellen's "passport". It was created in 1854. Although we don't know if she ever used it in practice, it's telling that as a free, northern woman of color she wanted an extra layer of protection for potential travel to the South in the time period before the Civil War. Just four years earlier, the Fugitive Slave Act was passed by Congress and Bleeding Kansas was about to erupt further dividing a nation already bitterly fractured over the issue of slavery in the country. The passport also gives clues to her physical description, including the fact that she had curly black hair and was only 5 foot 2 inches tall.$

Join us for an event of learning, reflection, and

Join us for an event of learning, reflection, and recognition as we honor the courageous men and women who fought for freedom and whose stories are vital to understanding the full history of our nation.

March 15, 3:00 PM at The Umbrella Arts Center: “A Fight for Freedom: Honoring Patriots of Color” is a two-hour live event dedicated to uncovering and honoring the often-overlooked contributions of Black and Indigenous patriots both during the American Revolution and the long struggle for continued expansion of freedom and liberty over the past 250 years.

Funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism
Partners: MA250, Concord250, Minuteman National Historical Park, The Robbins House, The Town of Concord, The Umbrella Arts Center.

Join us for an event of learning, reflection, and

Join us for an event of learning, reflection, and recognition as we honor the courageous men and women who fought for freedom and whose stories are vital to understanding the full history of our nation.

On Saturday, March 15 at 3:00 PM: “A Fight for Freedom: Honoring Patriots of Color” is a two-hour live event dedicated to uncovering and honoring the often-overlooked contributions of Black and Indigenous patriots both during the American Revolution and the long struggle for continued expansion of freedom and liberty over the past 250 years. Hosted at the Umbrella Arts Center, 40 Stow Street.

Their bravery and resilience remind us that the struggle for freedom has always been fought by people from all backgrounds and walks of life.

Funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism
Partners: MA250, Concord250, Minuteman National Historical Park, The Robbins House, The Town of Concord, The Umbrella Arts Center.

]