Wait….There Were Enslaved People in Needham?!?

The repugnant practice of enslavement is something we like to distance ourselves from, as Americans, as northerners, and a (somewhat) enlightened modern society. But the roots of this issue run deep, and the veneer of civility and progressiveness hides the ugliness that even towns such as Needham had a hand in, and profited through the subjugation of others. This uncomfortable history was brought to the forefront in a lecture hosted by the Board of Trustees of the Needham Public Library, as part of the Vivian McIver Lecture series. In an hour-long talk, Dr. Gloria Greis of the Needham History Center and Museum and Rev. Catie Scudera of the First Parish Church unveiled what they had found when looking into Needham’s difficult past.



This program will be shown in it’s entirety on the Needham Channel, is available through the Library website, and through the Needham History Center and Museum. You can watch the full program here: