Past Celebrations - 2001 Events

On September 7, 2001, the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston and the Massachusetts Historical Society (MHS) co-sponsored the first annual Boston Charter Day celebration. The gathering at the MHS featured remarks by the Reverend Peter Gomes of Harvard University, Professor Thomas O'Connor of Boston College, and Professor Will Holton of Northeastern University. In honor of the event, Governor Jane Swift officially proclaimed September 7 “Boston Charter Day.” As Governor Swift remarked, "An understanding of Boston's civic spirit, religious freedom, commitment to education, and development as a people and an economy requires an understanding of its earliest days." Charles Euchner and William Fowler submitted an op-ed that was published in the Boston Globe to celebrate the founding of the city.