A proposal to erect a plaque honoring enslaved African Americans who lived in Hopkinton is one step closer to fruition following a vote by the Historic District Commission on Wednesday night.
The commission voted on the matter during a public hearing. As the proceeding began, chair Beth Watson clarified the parameters of the commission’s vote regarding the plaque.
“We’re voting on the color of the plaque, size, that kind of thing,” Watson said. “Just the architectural aspects — what the sign’s going to look like.”
The Historic District Commission was tasked with approving a certificate of appropriateness for the plaque because of its proposed location on the Town Common, which is within the town’s historic district. The Hopkinton Historical Society already has met with the Parks & Recreation Commission regarding where to install the marker.
Linda Connelly, archivist for the Hopkinton Historical Society, presented the plans for the plaque to the commission. Over the last 20 years, she has been working on uncovering the names and lives of slaves who lived in Hopkinton. She reported her list has grown to 32 names, backed up with historical sources.
Connelly began her presentation by explaining the impetus for the project.
“I was inspired over time after the Frederick Douglass reading to kind of honor these people,” Connelly said. “The idea of a small, unassuming plaque on the common is what I and the Historical Society thought would be a nice way to honor these people.”
According to Connelly, the plaque would measure 20 inches by 14 inches and be made of bronze, similar to other installations on Town Common. It would be mounted on a post and feature the names of all 32 enslaved persons, along with a message of remembrance.
Regarding the exact location on the Common, Connelly discussed ideas to situate it near a similar marker commemorating Hopkinton’s first meetinghouse.
“A lot of people who started the meetinghouse in fact did own slaves,” she claimed.
Connelly also spoke to the importance of the plaque. “People don’t talk about slavery in the north,” she said. “It was part of the culture and a big part of the economy, so it needs to be talked about.”
Added Connelly: “I think it’s a really important fact to have up for people to understand their history, and to recognize these people as people that were here contributing.”
Representatives from other groups spoke in favor of the project during the meeting. Anne Mattina, vice president of the Historical Society, praised Connelly’s work and emphasized the society’s support of the project.
“We’re enthusiastically behind this,” Mattina said. “It’s just a really important part of our history.”
Amy Groves, who represents a group of residents looking to establish a cultural district in Hopkinton, voiced her support as well.
“It shows the uniqueness of Hopkinton,” said Groves. “This would be a real asset [to the cultural district].”
While some commission members had thoughts about the language and the exact location of the plaque, all appeared in favor of the project. Watson agreed to clarify with Parks & Rec about where the plaque would be installed.
“We need to make sure we specify that we’re approving the design and size, but we are not necessarily approving a location, because that hasn’t been decided yet,” she said.
The commission approved the project’s certificate of appropriateness in a unanimous vote. Further discussions over the content of the sign and its finalized location have yet to be scheduled with the Parks & Rec Commission.
The idea of a small, unassuming plaque on the common is what I and the Historical Society thought would be a nice way to honor these people.” Shameful and embarrassing! The subtlety of racism still looms large in the northeast. A 20″ x 14″ plaque commemorating those brought here by force for indentured servitude while shaping our society. The twisted priorities of putting runners on a pedestal with life-sized statutes speaks volumes to the lack of respect and dignity shown to those who did real work in the face of humiliation, torture and death. A true ‘check the box’ moment to make a few feel good that they think they know Black History!
Country-wise, it’s an understatement but 32 people out of 4300 or so population at the time of emancipation is very small. There were more good runners since then.
Not to take slavery lightly, but a full size statue of Sojourner Truth in the common would indicate town’s extensive pro-slavery or anti-slavery history which it didn’t have. Should just rename town to break an association with Hopkins then.
Sojourner Truth has no connection to Hopkinton as far as we know. The number 32 out of 4300 ( In 1765 it was in fact 1,027 according to Hopkinton Vital Records), is not a useful comparison. A single individual “owned” by another would still be an outrageous and immoral thing. No one is proposing name changes. The town did have a strong abolition tradition with William Claflin and others, but abolition came 100 years after these 32 particular enslaved individuals.
What I liked most about the plaque is that the proposed wording lists the names of the enslaved individuals. I hope that Parks & Rec preserves this aspect of the wording, so that we might “say their names.” Without the names I would have agreed that the plaque was an empty gesture. For me, being able to touch the names will make all the difference.
I would think the plaque should be bigger. 20×14 is too small.