This winter, Freedom House scholars embarked on a transformative journey to develop their public speaking skills and deepen their connection to community history. Shaped in close collaboration between Reckonings and Freedom House, the enrichment program was facilitated by Dzidzor Azaglo, Uta Poiger, and Collin Knight, Founder and CEO of Live Like A Local Tours Boston, together with Kevin Williams and Khalimah Kemp from Freedom House. The program empowered students to craft compelling narratives, blend historical inquiry with personal stories, and confidently share their voices. Through workshops, collaborative exercises, and guided mentorship, scholars explored the lives and legacies of five figures associated with Freedom House, creating insightful zines and presentations.

The five-week program, which ran from January 28 to February 27, 2025, challenged scholars to connect the history of Freedom House with their personal journeys. Working in small teams, they explored multigenerational narratives from the Freedom House and Roxbury-Dorchester Community Stories project. The project is a collection of interviews of 49 people who have been affiliated with Freedom House and who have contributed and shaped Roxbury, Dorchester, Boston, and the broader world.  In February, Freedom House Scholars focused on notable community leaders, including Chris and Kai Grant, Gisel Urena, and Gail Snowden. One team worked with documents and the oral history of Melnea Cass, focusing on her work on the Freedom House Coffee Hours, a program run by women for women in the 1950s. Each student created a physical zine page to support their final presentations. These zine pages served as both visual aids and personal reflections, capturing the voices of their interview partners while expressing the scholars’ own insights and connections to the community.

To prepare for their final presentations, scholars practiced speaking clearly and confidently, integrating personal experiences with the stories of their interview partners. This collaborative approach allowed scholars to refine their public speaking techniques while also reflecting deeply on the connections between their lives and the legacies they studied.

The program culminated in two showcases: one event at Freedom House on February 27th and a public presentation at the Grove Hall Branch of Boston Public Library on April 30th. In each session, scholars struck a balance between storytelling and analysis, ensuring their presentations were both emotionally resonant and historically grounded; they brought the past to life while envisioning a vibrant, community-driven future. See a video of the program here, and visit the archive from the Winter 2025 program here.

On April 30th, the Boston Jazz Foundation partnered with Reckonings, the Claremont Neighborhood Association, and Union Church to present an International Jazz Day concert and historical exhibit at Union Church. The event brought together musicians, community members, and jazz lovers to celebrate jazz as both a local and global cultural force, with a special focus on Jazz Square — the historic intersection of Columbus and Massachusetts Avenues that holds a significant place in Boston’s jazz history.

The evening was filled with inspiring performances that reflected the deep roots and ongoing vitality of jazz in the city. Anastassiya Petrova, a gifted jazz pianist and organist, opened the musical program with a set that blended tradition with innovation. Following her performance, Jason Palmer, an acclaimed trumpeter and composer, delivered a set that highlighted jazz’s power to tell stories across generations. Please click here to sample these amazing performances.

Amanda Shea, a spoken-word artist, educator, and activist based in Boston, served as the event’s MC. Through her thoughtful remarks and guidance, she connected the audience with the historical and cultural significance of Jazz Square and the broader jazz community in Boston. Throughout the evening, audience members enjoyed a slideshow of historical performers and jazz venues that the Boston Jazz Foundation and Reckonings had put together. The program also featured Reckonings team members Dzidzor Azaglo and Uta Poiger, who shared updates on the collaborative efforts to preserve and honor Boston’s jazz heritage, and honored Elynor Walcott, owner of Wally’s Jazz Cafe and the holder of the inaugural Boston Jazz Luminary Award.

In keeping with Reckonings’ commitment to centering community voices, attendees were invited to engage in a reflective exercise. Two posters encouraged responses to the prompts: “Jazz Square matters because…” and “We celebrate jazz because…” Attendees contributed Post-it notes that expressed personal and collective connections to jazz, capturing its role as a source of joy, resistance, identity, and community resilience. Responses ranged from heartfelt and playful to bold and direct — “Because it frees my soul,” “We want more,” and simply, “Why not?” These reflections created a living archive of why jazz continues to inspire and unite people in Boston.

Looking ahead, Reckonings and its partners will engage audiences on the history of jazz at the Boston Jazz Foundation’s  Charles River Jazz Festival on July 12th. Starting at 12pm, the program offers an opportunity to experience Boston’s vibrant jazz scene with live music and celebration along the scenic riverfront. The partners will also host their next celebration of Jazz Square in September at Titus Sparrow Park in the South End, continuing the journey to explore and honor the legacy of Jazz Square through performances, stories, and community engagement.

We invite you to stay engaged with these events and more by visiting our Events page and Boston Jazz Foundation’s website.

The Goldenaires, a group of distinguished elders that has been linked to Freedom House since the 1960s,  gathered at Northeastern University’s Snell Library on April 29th for a special archiving workshop that celebrated their rich history and collective memory. Hosted in collaboration with the Northeastern Archives and Special Collections, the Reckonings Project, and Snell Library, the event invited the Goldenaires to explore their own history and to contribute actively to its preservation. Please see the program for the workshop here.

The gathering began with warm welcomes from Uta Poiger, Professor of History and one of the faculty leads of the Reckonings Project, and Gina Nortonsmith,  Archivist for African American History, who framed the day as an opportunity to honor memory and make history tangible. Nortonsmith described the Goldenaires records as the “crown jewel” of the Freedom House collection,  a vital record of resilience, community, and freedom that continues to inspire. Jumaada A-K H. Smith, J.D., Goldenaires Coordinator, followed with words of heartfelt appreciation, recognizing the deep labor and care that made the event possible and the importance of holding space for elders to see themselves reflected in the archive. Molly Brown, Reference and Outreach Archivist at Northeastern University, introduced the special collections and gave an overview of the collection that the Goldenaires would be exploring.

The Goldenaires were invited to dive into decades of newsletters, photographs, correspondence, and event programs. Each folder offered a different glimpse into the past—some featuring photos of the very people sitting in the room, alongside images of friends, family members, and community leaders. As participants examined the materials with magnifying glasses and curated prompts, stories emerged from memory, filling the room with laughter, recognition, and reverence.

Remarks from Dr. Richard Bryant, Northeastern’s Chief Belonging Officer and Director of the John D. O’Bryant African American Institute, expressed deep gratitude for the Goldenaires’ role in shaping Boston’s history. Dan Cohen, Vice Provost for Information Collaboration, Dean of the Library, Professor of History, and Faculty Co-Lead of the Reckonings Project, underscored the power of community storytelling in shaping a more inclusive historical record. Reverend Charmayne Cooke, a member of the coordinating committee for the visit, blessed the gathering and reflected on the importance of becoming active stewards of the group’s long history and sacred stories.

As the event came to a close, Dzidzor Azaglo from the Reckonings Project led a reflective conversation about the meaning of the day and what the Goldenaires hoped for the future of the archives. In a heartfelt conversation, the Goldenaires spoke of revelation, pride, and healing.

The archiving workshop was a powerful reminder of the importance of preserving community history and celebrating the lives and legacies that have shaped the present.

For the postcard with instructions on how to access the Goldenaires archives, click here.

July 12, 2025, 12:00 p.m – 9:00 p.m
Herter Park Amphitheater in Allston, MA

Get your free tickets or discounted VIP and Platinum tickets for the Festival held on July 12 here. Use discount code CRJF26-RECKVIP for VIP and Platinum tickets. And sign up to volunteer for the festival here.

The Boston Jazz Foundation and the Reckonings Project, along with the collaborators on Boston Jazz Square Activation, are pleased to ask for your nominations!  

ROXFILM
Shorts: Protecting Our Narratives

Wednesday, June 25, 2025, 7:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Massachusetts College of Arts and Design
621 Huntington Ave., Boston

Take a look at the short films featured in this session of the Roxbury International Film Festival. Click here for information about the entire festival.

Practicum with Andrew Suseno, Stephanie Guilloud & Dzidzor Azaglo
Design Studio for Social Intervention

Friday, June 27, 2025, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

The Design Gym
572 Columbia Road, Boston

Click here for more information and to register:

Thursday, July 31, 2025
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

West End Branch of the Boston Public Library
151 Cambridge St.,
Boston, MA 02114

Are you interested in oral history and looking for advice, support or even future collaborators? If so, please join the Boston Oral History Social, a fun and casual networking event sponsored by Boston Public Library and the West End Museum. 

Please click here to learn more and to register.