The Town of Concord has a remarkable and extremely time-limited opportunity to save a piece of our history: the Caesar Robbins House. It is one of the very few pieces of physical evidence of Concord’s Black Heritage, and if it is demolished, a grave disservice will be done to our town’s history.
We are faced with an urgent need. The ‘Demolition Delay’ that was attached to the house expires on September 12, 2009. Our hope is that we can move, preserve and restore the home, and ultimately have it serve as an interpretive site – as Concord’s African American History Museum (of which we have many artifacts and documents from Thoreau and others in the transcendentalist movement), adding to the richness of Concord’s story.
After the September 12 deadline, the current owner is free to demolish this important and evocative piece of history.
The Drinking Gourd Project (sub-committee of the Human Rights Council) has been working hard to establish the Black Heritage and Abolitionists’ Tour in Concord. We are trying, with the Town’s backing, and that of the Historic Commission, Minuteman National Park and many concerned citizens, to coordinate the effort to save the house.
The Human Rights Council feels that this is a critical piece of history that has been too often overlooked, maybe overshadowed by the wealth of other aspects of Concord’s history.
Please help us save this piece of Concord’s history!
Donations to save this historic house can be sent to: Concord-Carlise Human Rights Council, P.O. Box 744, Concord, MA 01742, with The Drinking Gourd Project in the memo line. Thank you!