HIDDEN BROOKLINE
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    • Enslavement
    • Lives of the Enslaved
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    • Making Freedom
  • Recommended Reading
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  • Walking Tours
  • Henry "Box" Brown

Uncovering the hidden history of slavery and freedom in Brookline

Hidden Brookline's Walking Tours

Join us for an unforgettable walking tour that dives deep into the shadows of the past. Explore the untold stories of courageous upstanders, the chilling actions of perpetrators, and the journeys of those who dared to escape to freedom. As you stroll through the vibrant streets of Brookline, you'll walk in the very footsteps of enslaved people and their enslavers, revealing a tapestry of history that’s been overlooked for far too long.
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*register here to join us for our next walking tour on Sunday April 27th from 2-3pm EST!*
click here to learn more about our tours!
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Florida Ruffin Ridley: Leader For Equality


Florida Ruffin Ridley, pioneer civil rights leader, Harlem Renaissance writer, suffragist and more, was determined to make change "by any means necessary".

Thomas Perkins


Enslaver & Opium smuggler, Thomas Perkins owned over 35 ships that made trips to West Africa and China, participating in human and drug trafficking 
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Re-naming our Schools


Recent efforts from Brookline to reckon with its past lead to divided campaigns to re-name schools in the district

Recent Stories & Articles

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Map of Enslavers' Land in Brookline
See where enslavers owned property within the current town lines
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6 Slave Traders
Read about the 6 most notable Brookline enslavers
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Heath: the School and the Family

Learn about the Heath family and the current campaign to rename the Brookline school honoring them

Our Story

Our goal is to build public understanding of the history of slavery and of freedom in Brookline. Established in 2006, the Hidden Brookline Committee brings together people who want to work on existing projects or create new programming.

Hidden Brookline serves under the Town’s Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Community Relations. We often partner with other Brookline organizations. Barbara Brown, Ph.D., founded and chairs the Committee and has carried out most of its research.

The Hidden Brookline Project

About Us​

Walking Tour

Contact Us

Last updated 2025
Redesigned by Isabella Nguyen in 2024
  • Home
  • Slavery & Freedom
    • Enslavement
    • Lives of the Enslaved
    • Slave Traders
    • Enslavers and Our Schools
    • Making Freedom
  • Recommended Reading
  • About Us
  • Search
  • Walking Tours
  • Henry "Box" Brown