For the first time, the eloquent petitions of disenfranchised people seeking their rights in the 17th and 18th centuries will be read from the balcony where the Declaration of Independence was first read in Boston in 1776.

It’s easy to get discouraged about our ability to achieve change in civic life these days. To reignite your belief in civic progress, Revolutionary Spaces has invited award-winning spoken word artist Amanda Shea to curate an event at the Old State House. Join us for All the Voices in the House, which will remind us how we stand on the shoulders of so many prior generations who took civic leaps and lifted their voices, even as they faced challenges that seemed daunting and likely had long odds of success.

While the vast majority of people living in the commonwealth in the 17th and 18th centuries lacked the right to vote, many used the right to petition the government for change. By believing that their voices mattered, they helped lay the groundwork for the rights and privileges we have today. To honor these individuals and inspire all of us to get more civically engaged, Shea and dynamic spoken word artists Anita D. and D. Ruff will read and reinterpret powerful petitions that were presented by people of varying backgrounds during this time period at the Old State House, which was the center of colonial government in Massachusetts. 

For the first time, their petitions will be spoken from the same balcony where the Declaration of Independence was first read in Boston. Some of the petitions include a a 1694 petition from Elizabeth Proctor, one of the victims of the Salem witch trials; a 1777 petition from Prince Hall, an African American abolitionist seeking to end slavery in Massachusetts; a 1783 petition from Belinda Sutton, a formerly enslaved person seeking a pension from the proceeds of her enslaver’s estate; and a 1783 petition from the Mashpee seeking greater sovereignty. The petitions were selected in collaboration with Daniel Carpenter, the Allie S. Freed Professor of Government at Harvard University and author of the award-winning Democracy by Petition: Popular Politics in Transformation, 1790-1870. 

All the Voices in the House will begin at 5:30 pm outside the Old State House, located at the intersection of Congress Street and State Street. In case of rain or inclement weather, the event will be moved to Tuesday, May 14.

This program will be a prequel to Your Voice in This House, which will take place on May 23 at Old South Meeting House. Gather with contemporary activists, historians, and elected officials as they share stories of how they overcame self-doubt and redefined themselves as civic change agents at the local, state, and national levels.

Revolutionary Spaces is grateful for the support of the Lowell Institute and National Park Service, which has made this event possible.