On March 5, 1770, a skirmish between angry colonists and British troops that ended in the tragic death of five men sparked a revolutionary spirit that helped lay the groundwork for independence from Great Britain. In honor of this landmark event, Revolutionary Spaces—the organization that operates the historic Old State House, outside of which the aforementioned incident took place—hosts two gatherings that commemorate what came to be known as the Boston Massacre. First, a half-mile excursion entitled the Massacre & Memory Tour that takes place every Friday, Saturday and Sunday beginning March 3 examines what led up to the confrontation and its immediate aftermath, as well as how it has been framed by successive generations. Tickets include admission to the Old State House and the Old South Meeting House. Then, on the March 5 anniversary of the Massacre, the Old State House hosts Political Violence: From the Boston Massacre to Today, a free and unique program led by local poets, storytellers and scholars that reflects on the impact of state-sponsored violence on a variety of communities both here and abroad. Registered participants, who are allowed inside on a limited basis in 15-minute increments from 1–3 p.m., are invited to engage in discussion as the tour winds through the historic site’s galleries and perhaps come away with a deeper understanding of the world around them.
