Nikki Stewart, Roeshana Moore-Evans, and Suzy Buchanan
Telling Complex & Hard Histories: Interpreting Slavery at Small Historic Sites
How do small historic sites responsibly interpret histories of enslavement — especially when records are limited and the stories are difficult to tell/interpret? Join moderator Jake Sconyers, host of the Hub History podcast, for a panel discussion featuring leaders from Old North Church, King’s Chapel, and the Shirley-Eustis House. Panelists will share how they are uncovering overlooked histories, translating difficult and often painful narratives for public audiences, and building meaningful community engagement. This session will explore both the challenges and opportunities of this work — from archival gaps to public interpretation — and offer practical insights for public history professionals and engaged community members alike. At a moment when institutions are being called to reckon more honestly with the past, this conversation highlights how small sites are playing a critical role in reshaping how we understand our nation’s history.
Nikki Stewart currently serves as the Executive Director of Old North Illuminated (oldnorth.com/about-old-north-illuminated), the nonprofit organization that manages research, interpretation, and preservation at Old North Church Historic Site in Boston’s North End. Since joining the organization in 2020, Stewart has led a transformation in how the site shares history with the public. She has launched major initiatives that broaden historical narratives, including Sparking Revolutions and Illuminating the Unseen, which explore the experiences of Black and Indigenous congregants and challenge simplified interpretations of America’s founding. These efforts earned ONI an Award of Excellence from the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) in September 2024.
Roeshana Moore-Evans is the Director of the Living Memorial at King’s Chapel (memorial.kings-chapel.org), where she leads public memory, community partnership, and reparative justice efforts in response to the church’s historic ties to enslavement. Since joining in 2025, Moore-Evans has guided the development of a comprehensive framework for repair by advancing initiatives that integrate historical research, public engagement, and institutional accountability. She has led the activation of Unbound: A Memorial to Enslaved Persons at King’s Chapel, expanding its role as both a site of reflection and a catalyst for dialogue, education, and community-based healing. Through her leadership, the Living Memorial is emerging as a model for how historic institutions can engage truthfully with the past while building meaningful pathways toward repair.
Suzy Buchanan is the Executive Director of the Shirley-Eustis House Association (shirleyeustishouse.org) which preserves and interprets the 1747 country seat of Royal Governor William Shirley in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Suzy has spearheaded a reorientation of SEH’s interpretation to focus on various modern legacies of the British colonial period that are manifested in the house’s architecture and its history. Suzy also led the efforts to rescue the former stable of the estate from demolition and its subsequent designation as the first City of Boston Landmark so recognized due to its association with the history of chattel slavery.
