Throughout Boston’s history, revolutionaries and activists have flocked to the same few blocks defined by today’s Washington Street leading from Downtown Crossing to Old South Meeting House, the Old State House, and Faneuil Hall at Dock Square. These streets carry the echoes of over two and a half centuries of resistance that continue to this day. Boston’s historic changemakers engaged in diverse methods of activism and advocacy that can inform the changemakers of today.
Corridor to Revolutions explores layers of activist history in this space through historic assets: artifacts, documents, images, and more. These primary sources and their stories provide a look into the past through articles focused on revolutionary movements in American history and their uses of words, legislation, and demonstration to make change. Each article includes questions to consider that you can use to think about the connections between activism and place, and connect the past with the present. We encourage teachers, students, and all other visitors to comment on our articles and assets to share your uses, adaptations, and thoughts.
Corridor to Revolutions reveals the long history of activism in downtown Boston. As modern activists retread that path of change, all of us can learn from activists of the past.
The creators of Corridor to Revolutions acknowledge that the revolutionary corridor, and all of Boston, are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Massachusett people.
Featured Topics
Demonstration
Boston activists have demonstrated in support for their causes in the revolutionary corridor through marches, fundraisers, strikes, protests, and riots.
Legislation
Activists responding to unjust laws or government institutions have used the corridor—home to the Massachusetts State House and other government buildings—to push for positive legislative change by canvassing, writing and circulating petitions, providing legal aid, bringing cases to court, and challenging judicial decisions.
Words
Activists have established Boston’s downtown corridor as a place of public debate to inform, lobby, convince, and persuade through speeches, newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, and (more recently) social media.
