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For at least 129 years, slavery was part of the fabric of everyday life in Northampton. At least 50 enslaved individuals lived here from the town’s English settlement in 1654 until 1783 when slavery was abolished in Massachusetts.
The exhibit Slavery and Freedom in Northampton, 1654 - 1783, features life-sized silhouettes of men, women, and children who were enslaved. On each silhouette are details about individual lives based upon information gleaned from historic documents. Their histories reveal aspects of enslavement and examples of freedom, and resistance to oppression. The exhibit tells what we currently know about the lives of these enslaved individuals and how some gained freedom, started families, and purchased property. It also describes the ways in which Northampton enslavers exerted power and control over their lives.
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Exhibit Information
Dates
July 3, 2025 - December 11, 2026
Hours
September & October 2025 Hours:
Wednesday - Sunday 11 am to 5 pm
Historic Northampton Main Gallery
46 Bridge Street Northampton, MA 01060 Directions, Transportation & Parking Admission
By Donation
Gallery Talks
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The exhibit includes a printmaking series, Glimmers of Past People,
by artist Merisa Skinner reflecting on the local legacy of the transatlantic slave trade.
by artist Merisa Skinner reflecting on the local legacy of the transatlantic slave trade.
Special Exhibit Events and Programs
Special Event: View original 17th- and 18th-century documents about slavery.
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Explore the exhibit with a member of Historic Northampton’s staff.
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A Visit to Northampton’s Original Lead Mine and Vicinity: A Walking Tour with Wayne Perrea
September 12 & 13, 2025 Pre-registration Required Learn More Tour the lead mine where Cato, Cesar and Tom were enslaved to labor in the mine. |
Illuminating Truth:
A Special Presentation on Parsons House September 12 & 13, 2025 6:30 to 8 pm | 8 -minute loop Learn More Watch an 8-minute outdoor slideshow of silhouettes and images of documents.
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Silhouette of Hannah, her baby, and Mingo
(Design Division, 2025)
(Design Division, 2025)
In 1692, the court decided that the ownership of Hannah's baby would be shared by her enslaver Timothy Baker and Mingo's enslaver Samuel Parsons. A copy of the 1692 court document was transcribed on page 182 of the Judd Manuscript in the collection of Forbes Library, Northampton, MA.
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Silhouettes of Venus and Leah, enslaved by Jonathan Edwards
(Design Division, 2025)
(Design Division, 2025)
Venus was born in West Africa and separated from her family. This bill of sale indicates that she was sold in Newport, Rhode Island, by a ship captain and slave trader to Northampton’s minister Jonathan Edwards. (Composite image of the bill of sale from the collection of Yale University with a graphic silhouette of Venus by Design Division, Inc.)
Leah was also enslaved by Jonathan Edwards. Some historians think that Edwards renamed Venus to Leah when she was baptized. It is also possible that Venus died and Leah was a different person who replaced her.
Leah was also enslaved by Jonathan Edwards. Some historians think that Edwards renamed Venus to Leah when she was baptized. It is also possible that Venus died and Leah was a different person who replaced her.
Exhibit design by Michael Hanke of Design Division, Inc.
with Historic Northampton and a team of scholars and archivists
based upon research by the Northampton Slavery Research Project.
with Historic Northampton and a team of scholars and archivists
based upon research by the Northampton Slavery Research Project.
Artwork for the background murals was created by artist Nancy Haver.