“Under the Pines” Walking Tour in Collaboration with Bombyx Center for the Arts

In honor of Black History Month, and as part of Bombyx Center for Arts and Equity program “Under the Pines, a Celebration of the Black Experience,” the David Ruggles Center will lead a walking tour that explores the rich activist history of Florence. The guided tour will be part of an afternoon of programming curated by Bombyx Center for the Arts and Equity. While the event is free reservations are required. Free tickets/reservations are available at https://thirdrow.live/shop/under-the-pines/. The guided tour will include stops at Sojourner Truth’s house, abolitionist landmarks, and the site of the 19th-century utopian community, the Northampton Association of Industry and Education. The tour will explore what brought a progressive, innovative group of people to Florence in the 19th century and how they influenced the village’s development. This tour coincides with the DRC’s annual commemoration of Basil Dorsey Day, a self-emancipated man who fled slavery and who lived with his family in Florence in the 1840’s until his death on February 15, 1872. About the Event: Under the Pines: A Celebration of the Black Experience is a multi-day arts and culture festival led by Pianist and Broadway Music Director Mark G. Meadows showcasing black entertainers and thinkers. Under The Pines’ carefully curated programming will include the screening of Meadows’ recent documentary “But Don’t Believe Them” followed by a Q&A session. TICKETS: Reserve Online: https://bombyx.live/events/under-the-pines/ Timeline 2PM: David Ruggles Center Walking Tour 3PM: Hot chocolate and conversation 3:30PM: Film Screening “But Don’t Believe Them” 4-5PM: Conversation with Mark + Rochelle + panelists