I Walk the Black Heritage Trail in Boston

I’ve wanted to do the Black Heritage Trail in Boston’s Beacon Hill since I moved here but it’s a lot harder to find than the Freedom Trail which is marked by a red brick line that traverses the city. I thought the Black Heritage Trail started somewhere in Boston and extended to the South End and onto Roxbury BUT IT DOES NOT! It’s limited to Beacon Hill!

I decided that July 4th was the perfect time to walk the Black Heritage Trail. It is a 1.5-mile loop. Parking is free and plentiful on July 4th well before the fireworks traffic. I went at 9:30 am and the weather cooperated. It was nice and cool, but still sunny. I am map challenged and the National Park Service app which is recommended on the Black Heritage site doesn’t actually cover all the stops. Instead, I took a screenshot of this map below and followed it to each of the stops.

I started at the Robert Could Shaw/54th Massachusetts Regiment Memorial because it was closest to where I parked. In addition, I went to Harriet Tubman Square in the South End. I had photos from prior stops

Black Heritage Trail + Other Famous African Americans in Boston Black Heritage Trail Sites:

1. Robert Gould Shaw and 54th Regiment Memorial

2. George Middleton House

3. The Phillips School

4. John J. Smith House

5. Charles Street Meeting House

6. Lewis and Harriet Hayden House

7. John Coburn House

8. Smith Court Residences

9. Abiel Smith School Museum of African American History

10. African Meeting House Museum of African American History

Harriet Tubman Square in the South End

Boston Phillis Wheatley Statue in Back Bay, Boston

Phillis Wheatley plaque in Chinatown, Boston

Richard Theodore Greener plaque in Harvard Square, Cambridge MA

It took me two hours to complete the Black Heritage Trail plus drive to the South End to see Harriet Tubman Park which was on my home anyway. I thoroughly enjoyed this trip back in history and learned a lot. I hope you enjoy my video!