Activists Stage Sit-in to Demand Name Change of Faneuil Hall Marketplace

Faneuil Hall is one of the most famous sites in Boston. There’s a longtime effort in the works by activists and ministers to rename it because of its namesake’s role in the slave trade. Rev. Kevin Peterson sees this fight as a spiritual one.

“On a certain level, racism is a spiritual crisis represented in our nation,” Peterson said. “Peter Faneuil was a racist and a person who represented anti-Blackness. So I’m here passionately trying to help rewrite the story in Boston about how we need to be a multiracial democracy.”

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Peterson and more than two dozen people gathered in front of Boston City Hall to once again demand the name change because Peter Faneuil was a known enslaver. {snip}

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Samuel Pierce from nearby Dorchester supports changing the name. He said it’s a continuation of recent efforts to address civil rights in the city. Nubian Square is no longer Dudley Square. Yawkey Way is now Jersey Street. In June, Boston city officials apologized for its role in slavery and committed to repairing past and present harm to Black Americans.

“Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley often said that the people closest to the pain should be closest to the power,” Pierce said. “And so to me, that translates into making sure that the government does not have buildings, streets or anything that it’s responsible for named after slavery or oppressive people.”

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The mayor’s office released this statement soon after the demonstration: “The City of Boston is recognized throughout the world for our role in this country’s founding, but it is critical to acknowledge and address the role of slavery in our nation’s founding and the deep inequities that remain today. As we work to build an equitable Boston for everyone, the city is committed to advancing racial justice and learning from our past and right wrongs.”

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