Blog - Page 4 of 29 - The Robbins House

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month Solidarity Event: Screening of Far East Deep South

In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, The Robbins House is co-sponsoring an event with The…

A Celebration Honoring The 200th Anniversary of The Birth Concord’s Native Daughter Ellen Garrison, Educator, and Activist

For the first time in 200 years, on April 14, 2023, Concord will publicly honor and celebrate the birth of…

“Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America” Film Viewing & Discussion

Watch and then discuss Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America. Former ACLU Deputy Legal Director Jeffery Robinson’s…

Martin Luther King Day Civil Disobedience Walk

12-2 PM Meet in the Visitor Center Gallery at Walden Pond, 915 Walden St., Concord In honor of MLK Day,…

Support The Robbins House this #GivingTuesday

“For while we have our eyes on the future, history has its eyes on us.” – Amanda Gorman

Fall Visit Day

Saturday, October 15 10:00 a.m. Visit to learn more about the little known African American history of Concord and its…

Prof. Barbara McCaskill’s video summary of the plantation bell

Short video (11:28 mins.) discussion at request Maria Madison, founder and co-president of the Robbins House and Heller School Associate…

A Celebration of Brister Freeman at the Robbins House

Join this marking of the 200th anniversary of Brister Freeman’s Death Maria Madison Welcoming Remarks Keynote Address by Kenneth Reeves…

READING FREDERICK DOUGLASS TOGETHER

Join us for a public reading of his Fourth of July Address No Rain Date Sunday, July 3rd at 10 am…

Join us in Observing the Two-Hundredth Anniversary of Brister Freeman’s Death

Brister Freeman (1744-1822) was enslaved in Concord for the first 30 or so years of his life. Having gained his…

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.

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