May 6, 2026
How Blackface Embedded Itself in American Culture
Blackface, a dehumanizing caricature of Black Americans, became a staple of entertainment in the 19th century. In her new book, Rhae Lynn Barnes traces the toxic roots of blackface and the way in which it seeped into so many parts of American life. The historian argues that the effects of this derogatory practice are still being felt. Barnes joins the show to discuss her 20 years of research and why this conversation is still so important today.
January 14, 2026
Dividing the Faith: The Rise of Segregated Churches in the Early American North with Richard Boles
Diving the Faith: The Rise of Segregated Churches in the Early American North Uncovers the often overlooked participation of African Americans and Native Americans in early Protestant churches.
October 8, 2025
Black Burial in Boston, In Life as in Death with Treyton Littlejohn
We have been taught to read Boston’s history through its marked graves, memorials, and storied cemeteries. But what about the history that was intentionally buried? This research draws on original archival findings to examine how racial segregation in 18th- and 19th-century Boston extended into the realm of death, and how the burial practices imposed upon Black Bostonians reveal a structural denial of memory, dignity, and civic belonging. In forming a growing database of over 4,000 non-White individuals buried between 1700 and 1860, this project reconstructs a previously unexplored historical record: names, kinship networks, occupations, burial locations, and lives of the Black Bostonian communities meant to be forgotten.
October 12, 2021
How Fears of “Passing” Changed the 1930 U S Census | Digital Speaker Series
Gabby Womack joined Old North Church on Zoom to discuss the connections between racial identity, the U.S. census, and pop culture fears and opinion.