What happens when a town challenges the received wisdom about its founding? Joe Palumbo of storied Concord, Mass., tells the story
About this Event

Should historical towns change their signs and markers? Concord resident Joe Palumbo takes us on a tour of the real history of Concord, Massachusetts - a far cry from the romantic notion of the Puritan founding of 1635, Revolutionary War heroism, and the home of Henry David Thoreau, Emerson and Louisa May Alcott. He takes us through the debates, struggles and conversations as Concord resident re-examine their history and consider how to change historical markers from a celebration of Puritan colonialism to one that recognises Indigenous history. English Puritans may have settled in Concord in 1635 - but they were not the first people to live there.

In the 21st century, we more fully understand the harmful effect of racist imagery, the hurtful lies and the perpetration of false narratives and myths in many of our old historical markers. We also increasingly notice the gaps of stories not told and people purposely diminished or forgotten in the historical narrative.

People in many communities are working hard to begin the work of repairing these outdated cultural practices. But it's not always easy. It's hard for communities to reconsider the story they have been telling about themselves and, sometimes, to challenge long held tradition, myths and beliefs.

Today, the United States, Massachusetts, and specifically towns such as Concord must do significant work to honor the true stories of the transition from the Indigenous inhabitants of Musketequid to the English, who arrived and settled on the land. We must understand the role of enslavement and how the stolen labor of many helped to build these colonial settlements.

As our country wrestles with a more complicated yet complete understanding of its past, places like Concord can be at the forefront of sharing that history with the public and
with ourselves. In the middle of a wider conversation about race, justice, the mistreatment of Indigenous peoples, and the legacy of enslavement in the United States today, Concord
must continue reckoning with its own part in that history.

In Concord, we've taken the first steps: removing the most offensive signage, which celebrated the colonial arrival in 1635 as though Nipmuc (and later Wampnoag and Massachusett) people were not already living there. It's the start of a long process of correcting inaccuracy and finding reconciliation and atonement, for the unceded lands now known as Concord.

Joe Palumbo was born and raised in Concord , Massachusetts, on a farm along the Battle Road. Steeped in history from an early age, he earned his BA in history from Boston University and a masters in educational leadership from California State University. As an educational leader, expert facilitator and presenter, Joe has taught both students and adults and has a deep understanding of group learning and presentation style. With new research and a greater understanding of past events, Joe works to open new windows and new opportunities to explore the past and tell fuller stories of all the people who built our nation and fought for the expansion of freedom and equality. He believes that here is more to our historical story than is often told. He currently works as a historical interpreter in the Boston area, and serves as the vice president of the Robbins House Museum.