Nantucket African Meeting House Celebrates 200 Years On Fourth Of January

The African Meeting House in Nantucket, Massachusetts will be celebrating its 200th anniversary on January 4

The African Meeting House in Nantucket, Massachusetts, will be celebrating its 200th anniversary on January 4 through an evening of live performances and a rededication of the meeting house, which is now only used for ceremonies and special events.

According to the Cape Cod Times, both the meeting house and the Museum of African American History are central locations for Nantucket’s Black community.

Per the Nantucket Preservation Trust, the house is the last remaining public structure that was a vital part of Black communities of the 18th and 19th centuries.

Although it was constructed in 1827 by the African Baptist Society, the building was purchased in 1933 by Florence Higginbotham, who understood the importance of the building.

Despite Higginbotham’s purchase, the building fell into disrepair over the years and was in need of serious repairs.

In 1989, Higginbotham’s descendants sold the Meeting House to Boston’s Museum of African American History and the building was renovated and reopened to the public in 1999.

According to the museum’s website, “The small post-and-beam building, a National Historic Landmark, is the island’s most vivid reminder of a thriving 19th-century Black community. The Museum presents cultural programs and interpretive exhibits on the history of African Americans on Nantucket and makes the African Meeting House available for ceremonies and special events.”

Sage Morgan-Hubbard, the Director of Learning and Engagement at the Museum of African American History, told the Cape Cod Times that the event seeks to honor the history of the building.

“It really is just to honor the important history,” Morgan-Hubbard said. “It will be fun to learn about the history together and share in the celebration.”

According to the event’s listing on Eventbrite, although the event is free and open to the public, seating is limited, but reservations are available on the site.