Presented by Donte Woods-Spikes at the Old Corner Bookstore & Cunningham House -- a historic complex saved and the current headquarters of Historic Boston Inc. -- the event features a nighttime projection by the nonprofit Illuminus & live recitation of Woods-Spikes’ poem Storyteller: UnFreedom. Through poetry and light, the work recontextualizes Boston's landmark by inviting reflection on its dual legacies as a place of abolitionist literary publication activism as well as a prior site for the institution of slavery. We invite you to gather with us and reflect on our complex histories embedded within Boston’s cityscape.

Rain date: October 28 at 6:30 PM

The event will feature a sound bath, a tote bag giveaway with @thefamilyfleamarket, and opportunities for reflection, connection, and dialogue inspired by Brandon Breaux’s Un-Monument project “Self Mastery: Breaking Beyond The Spectacle,” which is currently on view at the City Hall Galleries through November 20, 2026.

Through quilts, paintings, photography, and new media, “Self Mastery” examines breakdancing as a structured pathway to personal growth, tracing five interconnected dimensions of self mastery: self awareness, self control, values, discipline, and reflection.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with the exhibit in a brand new way!

Join Brandon Breaux and Marlene Boyette for a sound and wellness activation centered on self-and collective care, and shared reflection.

The sound bath will take place in the Mezzanine Gallery on the 3rd floor of Boston City Hall.

Directions: Please enter through the Congress Street entrance, across from Faneuil Hall. After passing through security, take the elevators to the 3rd floor. The Mezzanine Gallery is located past the information desk, to the left of the coffee stand.

Self Mastery is currently on view in the Scollay Square Gallery on the 3rd floor through November 20, 2026.

The event is free and open to all. We hope you’ll join us!

The program will include ceremony, speakers, and an opportunity to explore an emerging design vision for Franklin Park, inviting reflection and dialogue as the project continues to take shape.

The event is free and open to all.

As part of the programming leading up to Cabin in the Sky, join artist Ifé Franklin for the Ancestral Slave Cabin Workshop, an opportunity to explore memory, ancestry, and the history of Black life during enslavement in the American South. This workshop is presented as part of the Un-Monument Initiative. 

Located near the historic site of New Guinea and Copp’s Hill Burying Ground, "Stone Maps" traces and reflects on the presence of Black history embedded in Boston’s landscape. The evening will also celebrate the beginning of Kiyan Williams’s 2026–27 residency with Ujima and CAIUP, marking the launch of Williams’s term as CAIUP’s Artist-in-Residence. Come celebrate Stone Maps, Williams’s residency, and the histories, communities, and possibilities that shape Boston’s landscape.

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Set in Franklin Park, the installation features a life-size ancestral cabin, augmented reality, live performances, projections, and participatory community activations. Journey from Past to Present to Future through the Ancestor Slave/Freedom Cabin, Ancestor Procession, and Hush Harbor, where community-submitted images of African-descended ancestors come to life through projection, soundscape, ring shout, and collective ritual.

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Join us on October 8 from 6 – 9 p.m. for the opening of "Self Mastery: Breaking Beyond the Spectacle", a celebration of Boston’s breakdancing community and its lasting impact on hip-hop culture. Enjoy light food and refreshments, along with a special performance by the Floorlords.

For over 150 years, 133 Black women were buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery in two communal graves, with only a marker that reads "Home for Aged Colored Women". Join us as we reveal their names and honor their lives. Unveiling a temporary memorial design by artist Ekua Holmes.