T H E   F R E E D O M   T R A I L

Boston, Massachusetts

Nearby there's a sign. It's a little hard to read from the picture, it says:

Boston Common

In or about
the year of our Lord
One thousand six hundred
thirty and four
the then present inhabitants
of sd Town of Boston of Whom
the Honorable John Winthrop Esqr
Govnr of the Colony was chiefe
did treate and agree With
Mr William Blackstone
for the purchase of his
Estate and rights in any
Lands lying within said
neck of Land called
Boston
after Which purchase the
Town laid out a plan for
a trayning field which ever
since and now is used for
the feeding of cattell.

I follow the trail through Boston Common, the oldest public park in the USA. On up ahead, peeking through the trees, I can see the Massachusetts State House.

Soon enough I'm at the Shaw Memorial. It is here where you'll find the starting point of the Black Heritage Trail. This memorial is dedicated to Colonel Robert Gould Shaw and the African-American Massachusetts 54th Regiment. On May 28, 1863, Colonel Shaw and 1,000 black soldiers, the fifth African American troop to be organized during the Civil War, marched past Boston onlookers and into the war.

The memorial was created to commemorate not only that snapshot in time, but also the regiment's bravery in battle. Ultimately, two months later, the regiment sustained staggering losses of life, including Colonel Shaw, at Fort Wagner in Charleston, SC. According to President Lincoln, their battle marked the turning point in the war between the states.

In 1989 TriStar released the movie Glory which traces the life and times of Colonel Shaw and the 54th Regiment, from initial training to the horrors they meet on the battlefield. I've seen this movie and it's a must see. To support this claim, the movie was nominated for 5 Academy Awards and walked away with 3 in the categories of Best Sound, Best Cinematography, and Best Actor in a Supporting Role.