Join the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce on Saturday, February 22, from 12:30 pm to 2 pm at the African Meeting House, 27 York Street, for a special Black History Month event. Presented in partnership with the Museum of African American History – Boston & Nantucket, Nantucket Cultural District, and Nantucket Book Partners, this free event celebrates Nantucket’s rich Black and African American history.
Black History Month offers a chance to honor and understand Black histories, especially in a community like Nantucket, which played a vital role in the fight for freedom and equality. Nantucket was a notable stop on the Underground Railroad and a pioneer in school desegregation, achieving integration decades before the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision. The African Meeting House, one of the oldest Black church buildings in the country, remains a powerful symbol of that legacy.
We are honored to welcome Dr. Tiya Miles as our keynote speaker for this event. Dr. Miles, an award-winning author, historian, and Harvard professor, will deliver an inspiring talk on Harriet Tubman, known as the “mother of the Underground Railroad,” in the historic African Meeting House. A Q&A session, book sale, and signing will follow the talk.
This event is free and open to the public. Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate Black History Month and reflect on Nantucket’s unique place in African American history.
Dr. Tiya Miles is a MacArthur Genius Fellow, an award-winning public historian, and the Michael Garvey Professor of History and Radcliffe Alumnae Professor at Harvard University. Her research and writing focus on the intersections of African American, Native American, and women’s histories within the context of place. Dr. Miles is a celebrated author whose books have received numerous accolades, including the National Book Award for Nonfiction.
