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Historic Gravestone Restored, Revealing a Long-Hidden Colonial-Era Story in Boston
City officials said the restored marker is one of the oldest gravestones of a free Black person in America.
- On Thursday, Boston officials returned a restored, rare gravestone to the Granary Burying Ground honoring a formerly enslaved man known as 'Boston.' The marker is believed to be one of the oldest gravestones of a free Black person in America.
- Director of Boston's Historic Burying Grounds Kelly Thomas discovered the stone during a survey of about 100 markers in February. Her research linked the epitaph bearing only 'Boston' to Sebastian, featured in Gloria McCahon Whiting's 2024 book Belonging: An Intimate History of Slavery and Family in Early New England.
- City officials wrote that the man memorialized as 'Boston' and Sebastian were the same person, with his name transitioning 'from Sebastian to Bastian, then Bastian to Boston over the years in the documentary records.' Records show he was known as 'a respected member of the community' before dying in 1729.
- Cleaning the gravestone revealed the inscription legible for the first time in decades, enabling identification of the man buried there. Conservators repaired the marker using 'conservation-grade materials to prevent further deterioration,' according to the city.
- Learning about his life illustrates the multicultural society that created conditions for the American Revolution. Suzanne Segura Taylor, executive director of the Freedom Trail Foundation, said the discovery is 'truly remarkable' for bringing overlooked stories from the city's rich history into public view.
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32 Articles
32 Articles
Boston rediscovers, restores rare gravestone, ‘likely one of the oldest markers of a free Black person in America’
The gravestone of a man memorialized only as "Boston" was rediscovered and restored in the historic Granary Burying Grounds, marking perhaps the "oldest gravestone for a free Black person in the United States," Boston city officials announced Thursday.
·Braintree, United States
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‘Special moment in Boston’s history’: Oldest marker of free black man discovered in Boston
A historic discovery was made at Granary Burying Ground as the City announced Thursday that the restoration of a nearly 300-year-old gravestone belongs to a free black man from Boston who died in 1728 or 1729.
·Boston, United States
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Koco News5+26 Reposted by 26 other sources
Historic gravestone restored, revealing a long-hidden colonial-era story in Boston
"It’s been there all along" | Conservation work at Boston’s historic Granary Burying Ground revealed a pre-Revolutionary War gravestone honoring a freed slave who was so beloved in the community that his name was shortened to Boston.
·Oklahoma City, United States
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Total News Sources32
Leaning Left0Leaning Right1Center29Last UpdatedBias Distribution97% Center
Bias Distribution
- 97% of the sources are Center
97% Center
C 97%
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