Good. What do we document to. The suns of liberty speak tonight. Hey, hey. The town is getting real. Well, we got. The suns. The big welcome to the 249th anniversary. Boston tea party reenactments. Tonight, we relive meeting of the body of the people whose vigorous debates led to the destruction of the tea or what became known as the Boston Tea Party revolutionary spaces. Welcome to you into the room where the meeting occurred right here at Old South Meeting House. My name is j. L. Bell. I write about revolutionary boston, and tonight im to be one of the revolutionary spaces helping to bring you event. Now, i would like introduce the president and ceo revolutionary spaces, ladies and, gentlemen, dr. Nathaniel sheidley, you. Thank you, john. Good evening, everybody, and welcome to old south meeting for the 249th anniversary of the boston party. So here at revolution spaces, our mission is to bring people together in order to explore our nations unfinished struggle, to create and sustain a free society and its invoked in such a profound by this building that we are into which our organization cares for and by the old state house, just down the street and these places are so central to, the story of who we are and what better way for us to explore that mission and, translate it into dialog and fun, then to gather here in this room where the meeting of the body of the people happened. 249 years ago, the held here and, the dialog that folks in this building engaged in with colonial officials located just down the street in the Council Chamber of the old state or what was known as the townhouse. The time were the spark that led to the tea party and that drove the colonies. Boston, first and foremost down the road to revolution and and ultimately to independence. We remember the tea party because its a story about ordinary people can make change. But its also a very story. And the protest stars that stormed out of this building hundred and 49 years ago dressed as mohawks. And in doing that, they appropriated native identities as the new nation. They would create would appropriate native lands. And so as we begin tonight, i do to make a space for us first to acknowledge that the buildings that organization cares for the old statehouse and Old South Meeting House are complicated. They are places that are central to the story of the emergence of our core Democratic Institute oceans. But theyre also sites of conquest and stand as we tonight sit here in this building on the occupied and still unceded land of the massachusetts people. Revolution spaces supports our native neighbors and its committed through our work to understanding and dismantling the destructive legacies of settler colonialism that are embodied in the of our buildings. So want to pause now before we begin to honor and to respect the many native peoples who are connected to place and to shawmut past, present and future, including the massachusetts, the nipmuc and the wampanoag peoples and many. Thank you. We do have much to explore and much to celebrate tonight. And first and foremost, i just want to say how wonderful it is to be back this building we were last for this reenactment three years ago in december 2019. And it is so fabulous. Be able to gather with you all in this space in person again and want to thank all of you for continuing support as our organizer and and as the community that we are part of continues to emerge from the pandemic. So doesnt it good to be together again . Thank. And feel free. Shout a hosanna or a hazy if you agree. Im all right another thing i wanted to just touch on before i turn it to our fabulous living historians is to spill the tea on the big plans that we have for next year. So 2023 is the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party and its a signal opportunity to reach a wide audience to share this story and to reflect on to make meaning from the story together. So we have a huge year planned here at. Revolutionary spaces as many institutions as all around boston do for revolutionary spaces. Early in the year were going to open two new exhibit s over the old state house and one small exhibit here at Old South Meeting House. Those will explore the role of property violence in american protest from the tea to the present will explore petitions and other ways that people from the formal political process made their voices heard. We also organizing a rich slate of programs that will unfold across year and will, i hope, appeal to audiences all ages. So from raising a two day Music Festival will celebrate songs of protest that changed the world to a youth Poetry Program taking its inspiration, the african poet phillis wheatley, who was member of this congregation and would have worshiped from the upper balcony here, and whose poems were on one of the tea ships on the night of the Boston Tea Party to the premiere, the World Premiere of an immersive theatrical experience that reimagined the tea party debates, the meeting of the body of the people and connects them to the issues that still matter to us today. So theres truly something for everyone in the slate of programs. And i really hope that all of you will return and join us in making from this most important of american. So you can subscribe to our mailing list. You can follow us on our social Media Channels to get all the details about those exciting. For 2023. And finally, it is not really a tea party unless you also spill some tea. And so i would like thank our partner tea can company for their generous gift of tea tonight and we hope that you enjoyed some down stairs before the before the the the Program Began had a chance to to sample that. And now i would like to the winner of tonights tea can company tea basket giveaway. So im not sure that everybody who entered actually be in the room tonight so let me ask kenneth berkus are you yeah all right who. So kind of you can you can pick up the prize at after the program at the membership table down in the lower level after show. And its entirely up to you. You would like to drink the tea or throw it into the harbor, whatever you. Choose tonight you can say that you have been spilling the teas and 1773 and with that. With that my patriot and loyalist friends welcome to the meeting of the body of the people. Good ladies and gentlemen and welcome to Old South Meeting House. I must say, is quite jarring to see so many townspeople these pews now i do come to this building to worship on sunday as i sit right up there. And while we are in the town of bostons largest building, we have not tested capacity as we are tonight. Now, tonight we are not holding a religious service, but a meeting of people of boston and yes, this does has a church, but it is used by our community for the public and to discuss issues of the day when faneuil hall is far too small to hold all those who wish to attend for some time, the people of boston have been debating the issue of whether or not to unload of pounds of United East India Company t and this is all newly tax under oppressive British Parliament tonight, december 16, 1773 is the last night before these are legally required to be unloaded now. While i black and formerly enslaved woman. Im not to these types of meetings. I have been the conversation rather closely. And yes, among the chastity aboard one of these ships is my well, the First Edition of my newly book of poetry, which i am to share with all of you. Oh, goodness. Oh, my tears, please, to forgive me. Ive shared so with you in such a short amount of time. And yet have no idea who i am. My dears, my name is phyllis and i was enslaved. A family who worships here. But i more than that. I am a writer some suspect, a great writer, a genius, perhaps. And while i may not be privy to be amongst the men, engage in conversation about liberty, i definitely have my own thoughts on the topic. Now, like you, i was not invited to this meeting but if these people had taught us anything on this night is that anyone with the will to do so might have their say in this world. Now we will hear from others who also lived in boston in 1773, but were not permitted to be part of this meeting. People like me. And even though history did not record their words, our voices will be forgotten. This is in a fever of anxiety. The gray skies and damp mirror, its fearful mood. And so they do mirror my own. My married name is susanna copley and many of you here know my husband, mr. John singleton copley. Although even if you do not know him, you surely know his work for my husband is bostons finest portrait painter. But i born susanna clarke, daughter of richard clarke, and perhaps you know his name too, for my father. Together with my brothers isaac, jonathan are three of the seven merchants chosen to sell the east India Company. My young, my dear husband, our young children, my entire family are now living under a cloak of fear. We are under attack from these so socalled sons of liberty simply because my father and brothers continue to go about the business that has been entrusted them. Last month, mob stormed my fathers home, demanding that he resign as one of the two consignees fearing for his safety. He fled to castle island. Well, my brother isaac has attended the meetings here at old south. Discuss the matter of the tea that is still out in the harbor. My father remains in hiding from the mobs. And this town grows more anxious and nervous. The minute my husband, mr. Copley, is an artist, not a politician. But he has spoken out bravely here in the meetings at old south, trying to turn the people from the hatred that they bear towards my family. But i fear that the tide of Public Opinion has already turned too far against us. Curses the tea act and all of the divisions that it has brought to these shores. This should be the happiest of my life, for i am soon to be married to the man that i love. How i wish to celebrate. The day that i lucy flucker mary mr. Henry knox and become mrs. Knox to have found such a fine husband that only 17 years of age. But now i fear that my marriage. The prospect of my brings with it as much pain as it does joy because of the discord that this law has sown. My wedding threatens to tear me from the very family that raised me. My father is secretary this province. He is a royal official by all measures, a tory. And my henry, my humble henry. The bookseller is as much a patriot as my family is loyal to the crown. Three years passed, harry. As i call my henry was witness to the bloody massacre on king street. He even had to put himself physically into the crowd, protect them as the lobster bax fired upon us. And since then, as you can, he has held no tender feelings for redcoats. And now fear that soon i must choose, between my family and my fiancee. And i fear that tensions will only continue to rise tonight, no matter how this evening ends. I suppose there is only one thing that i can do and that is to wait. As a fellow woman, i too often feel that is little i can do to influence the ways of the world by. But i feel that at some point i will be called upon. And at that moment, i will act. Greetings. My fellow bostonians. My name is prince hall. As an africanamerican man in boston, question who to in these discussions of tea and representation . In just leadership i well, several years back was man, you made it by the individual who once held me as a slave for much of my life. And as a free man, i have experienced. A lack of rights. Due to virtue of the color of my skin skin. I have seen court nor legislator in these american colonies that will concede that i have any rights. Any rights whatsoever. Meanwhile meanwhile, king and parliament havent yet lifted finger to aid me or my less fortunate brothers and sisters still held in bondage throughout their colonial holdings. But if i do support patriot cause, perhaps ill be able to win their freedom and my peoples rights. My trade is leather dressing that is carrying Leather Goods to keep them soft and flexing. I pray that the white men who speak here tonight about freedom have the flexibility of mind and a vision to change their perspective. I hope that my patriot friends do understand that the only way to true justice and freedom is if all are free. Imagination. Who can sing by force. Who . The swiftness of their course. As a poet, i observe. Speak truth about the world we live in. And i also paint a picture through my. So listen now and imagine it is december 16, 1773. Gathered Old South Meeting House. Up to 5000 colonists. A large political meeting ever held in our boston town. Now i will guide you through this meeting as i got my readers through my verses and well documented in real time, its main characters and providing context along the way. Now the crowds have been gathering here and at faneuil hall regularly for over two weeks now, deciding what to do about the three merchant vessels that lie anchored in harbor. If the tea unloaded, a tax must be paid upon it. The earlier meetings have resolved that the tea must not be on loaded, for we will not pay that tax. But the royal authorities insist that the tea must be brought to shore by midnight tonight and a tax must be paid upon. The first of the three ships, the dartmouth arrived on november 28th. The people of boston have refused to allow crew to unload. There were even whispers of burning the ship and do remember my books were on board. But thankfully they did allow the crew to unload all the cargo except the tea. The law says that the owner of the dartmouth, mr. Francis roach, has only 20 days to leave the tea on board and he cannot go past that point for if he goes past this and delays any longer, the Customs Office will be able to the tea and collect taxes and seize the ship. Now this evening will be mr. Roachs last chance to do what the patriots asked. Send the ship and its tea back to england and not submit to the hated tea tax. And so a crisis at all the attempt so far to return the tea without having unload it have failed. Tonight is the final night to find a legal way to refuse tea. And tonight they meet as the body of the people, which means even the lower ranks are journeymen in the trades men. But not women or people of color, will be able to participate in the debate. But through a little creative license, you will all be able to lend voices. You have all received a small trinket. Yes. Yes. Excellent. It should be a card. You should. Excellent. Upon arrival at that. Now, of course if the card is blue and includes an image of the crown. You support the king and parliament. Tories will soon become later known as loyalist. But if is yellow and includes image of the liberty tree, you believe that only those who are elected by the people may impose taxes upon them. Now we will know them at this time as whigs, but history will remember them as patriot. Now, of course my friends, if you wish. Youre welcome to step up and have the chance to speak this evening as the individual on your card. And these are loud voices to be sure by impassioned bostonians. Do you remember those who are not welcome here but have strong opinions on the notions of freedom and liberty. With the stroke of my pen. And to the delight of your imagination. I bring more of them here to raise their voices. Now, some of these characters might be people who attended such meetings, or people who are simply out of doors like myself, mrs. Copley, miss flicker and mr. Hall. But tonight we will have all voices heard when moderator and the assistants in your seating invite you. You may step to one of the microphones you see on the floor in the balcony area when time is right, you can step up to the microphone with emma. You also step up to the microphone with sam. You may into a microphone with matt or you may up to microphone with live. And at the microphone you will receive a parchment of text and into a colonist. Now, if you do not get the to speak, you can still support fellow loyalists and patriots. But i do ask that you raise voices as my fellow colonists. So, my dears, if you do hear something said that you very agree with and just want to support your fellow colonists, i mean, excuse me, loyalists or patriots, you may yell out a huzzah hate you, h. So let us all try that together. My count of three. One, two, three. I know. I tried to get to my count of three. One, two, three. I did. Now, of course, my friends with any sort of public, theres something you may disagree with. And with that, you may yell out a fire at fire. So again, lets try that on my count of three, one, two, three, oh. Lets try that again. One, two, three. Well done. Well. Oh, goodness, my. And so it begins. Samuel savage of weston has arrived, and he will be our evenings. Pete. Excellent. Now, my dear, as we wait for this meeting to commence, will be sitting there in the shadows and i will provide enlightenment and guidance along the way. Mr. Adams. Good evening, christopher. Do you have. Clean. Necessary interest . Absolutely. We should have a peaceful, proper conclusion conclusion. In. We hope and pray that it will come out to. To our satisfaction. If you find you must do something, please be quick about it. And not delay the meeting. Thank you, sir. Mr. Hancock, i i wish you, you know, fair skies and following seas. And congratulations on the arrival of the liberty from amsterdam. It has indeed. May it serve you well well. Mr. Quincy. Mr. Scott, i am so pleased to you. I had heard rumors of your demise, sir from the wasting disease and. Indeed, sir, i. But i am. I am pleased you are with us. We have missed you over these last two weeks of discussion and hope you will be able to to your your voice of wisdom to to our assembly at the proper moment, i shall endeavor very well. You will be properly received. Mr. Revere. You are in charge of the guard over the two ships. Have you doubled them and make sure no mischief shall take . We have indeed not. One chest has been landed for very well. Well. It is the celebrated mrs. Warren. Madam, i trust you did not have to fatiguing journey up from plymouth. Well, we are. We are grateful for your company. Will you be merely observing as part of your. Your craft, or do do you wish to address this multitude shall tell. But this meeting may be some historical importance. It shall see, madam. Thank you. Oh, dr. Young. I trust you will probably have to say you always do that. And we will leave it at that. Sir. And i am grateful to our clerk for his efforts at providing a transfer report of our session this afternoon, and also the session