Former Old North Church Researcher to Give Two History Lectures

BOSTON, Mass. – This October, Dr. Jaimie D. Crumley, the former Research Fellow at Old North Illuminated, will give two history lectures open to the public. From June 2022 - June 2023, Dr. Crumley completed a year-long research fellowship, where she combed through the Old North Church’s archival records to learn more about the free and enslaved African and Indigenous peoples who were part of the church’s 18th and 19th-century history.

Dr. Crumley is an Assistant Professor in the Gender Studies and Ethnic Studies Divisions in the School for Cultural & Social Transformation at the University of Utah. Her research on Old North is shared in the award-winning video series “Illuminating the Unseen,” produced by Old North Illuminated.

"Old England in New England: Contradictions in the History of Boston's Old North Church"

On Tuesday, October 10, 2023, from 6:30 - 7:45pm, Dr. Crumley will deliver a lecture at Suffolk University (The Commons, 5th Floor). This talk explores the Church of England's interventions in the Puritan North End with the Old North Church’s founding in 1723. Dr. Crumley will also discuss the previously less well-known role of people of color in the Old North Church community during its early days. The lecture is free to attend.

Live streaming will be provided at www.facebook.com/gbhforumnetwork and www.youtube.com/gbhforumnetwork. Recordings for later viewing will also be available via GBH’s Forum Network.

The talk is the second lecture of the Paul Revere House's 2023 Lowell Lecture Series. This 3-part series From Puritans to Catholics: Religion in Boston’s North End examines how shifts in religious traditions impacted cultural expression, demographics, political affiliations, and economic status in the North End. This lecture is presented in partnership with GBH, the Suffolk University History Department, Old North Illuminated, and the North End Historical Society, with funding from the Lowell Institute. For more information on this series and other Revere House events visit paulreverehouse.org.

Their Chosen Faith: Northern Women of Color in the 19th-Century Episcopal Church

On Thursday, October 19, 2023, from 7:00 - 8:30pm, Dr. Crumley will lead an Old North Illuminated Speaker Series talk live on Zoom. Starting in the 1780s, many northern states either abolished slavery (in the case of Massachusetts) or promised enslaved people their gradual emancipation. While coercion continued to define the lives of free people of color, the end of slavery offered more opportunities for them to explore their faith. In the early decades of freedom and quasi-freedom in the North, some women and men of African descent made Episcopal Churches in the urban North (including the Old North Church) their spiritual homes. Dr. Crumley will discuss how some women of color in the urban North participated in the Episcopal Church during the nineteenth century.

Registration for this virtual event is now open at oldnorth.com/events. For access to the lecture, attendees can make an Eventbrite donation of any amount to Old North Illuminated, the nonprofit that preserves and interprets the Old North Church & Historic Site.

About Old North Illuminated / Old North Church & Historic Site

Established in 1991 as the Old North Foundation, Old North Illuminated is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is responsible for historic site operations and interpretative, educational, and preservation programs at the iconic Old North Church & Historic Site. A secular organization that is independent of Christ Church in the City of Boston, Old North Illuminated welcomes approximately 500,000 visitors annually while overseeing the preservation of an enduring symbol of American independence. Old North Illuminated serves a wide audience by creating meaningful experiences through educational outreach, site-specific programming, and historical analysis. ONI works collaboratively with the City of Boston, the U.S. National Park Service, the Freedom Trail Foundation, and other partners to foster educational and interpretive programs for students and visitors while engaging the public in Old North Church’s history and its role in inspiring liberty and freedom. For more information, visit: www.oldnorth.com.

About the Paul Revere Memorial Association/ Paul Revere House

Established in 1908, the Paul Revere Memorial Association inspires a deeper appreciation for the relevance of American history by sharing the life, legacy, craftsmanship, and iconic home of artisan, businessman, patriot, and citizen Paul Revere. The Association is responsible for the ongoing care and long-term preservation of three historic buildings – the Paul Revere House, the Pierce/Hichborn House, and the Education and Visitor Center in Lathrop Place. The Association maintains an important collection of Revere-made objects, household artifacts, materials commemorating the midnight ride and Revere’s legacy, objects related to the history of the North End community, and items related to Revere’s life and work. The Paul Revere Memorial Association offers educational programs for all ages, including walking tours, concerts, living history presentations, publications, lectures, school programs, teacher workshops, and more. For more information, visit: www.paulreverehouse.org.

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