What to Know
- Members of the New Democracy Coalition held a protest Aug. 2 to call on Boston city officials to rename Faneuil Hall.
- The historic landmark is named for Peter Faneuil, a wealthy 18th-century slave owner.
- The group wants the hall to commemorate Crispus Attucks, a black man who was killed during the 1770 Boston Massacre.
Neighborhood activists and members of the faith-based community marched to Boston's Faneuil Hall on Thursday afternoon to call on city officials to rename the historic landmark.
Activist Kevin Peterson, who is leading the charge, said the hall was constructed from money derived from the sale of slaves, and that the city's African-American population doesn't feel a connection to the site.
Peterson said letters to Mayor Marty Walsh's office and the Boston City Council calling for a public hearing have gone unanswered.
As an alternative, Peterson and other members of the New Democracy Coalition are calling for the name to be changed to commemorate Crispus Attucks, a black man who was killed during the 1770 Boston Massacre, generally considered the first casualty of the American Revolution.
Charles Clemons Muhammad, a Massachusetts state legislative candidate for the 11th Suffolk District, was among those in attendance Thursday and who feel strongly for renaming Faneuil Hall.
"I'm here to stand in solidarity with the organizations that support the removal of the name Faneuil Hall," he said. "Understanding that Peter Faneuil was a slave owner and there's no reason why we should be honoring slave owners, particularly their names."
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After some members of the New Democracy Coalition spoke, they marched from Park Street to Faneuil Hall holding signs reading "Respect Black Voices in Boston."
The mayor's office declined to comment and instead referred The Associated Press to a previous statement saying, "We can't erase history, but we can learn from it."
