In the Archives: Boston Urban Gardeners

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Author: Amanda McKay, Archives Assistant and graduate student in the English MA program at UMass Boston

Samuel Kaymen demonstrates gardening techniques to urban farmers Martha Walker and Sue Naiman, circa 1978-1986.

In the 1970s, Charlotte Kahn watched the Black school-aged children in her neighborhood integrate with previously white-only schools. Many of the children faced violent and verbal abuse. Kahn, inspired by the young children’s bravery during this time, decided to plant beautiful gardens in hopes of uplifting their spirits as they walked to their bus stops. This act by Kahn led to the Boston Urban Gardeners (B.U.G.) organization. In 1976, the organization was run by volunteers in Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, and the South End. Soon after, the organization grew and had a number of paid employees with various funding sources. However, the organization’s focus wasn’t just gardening, it was also the community. University Archives and Special Collections houses the Boston Urban Gardeners records, which include insightful information on the organization. Records relating to administration, projects, photographs, and other various media are available in the collection. Healey Library’s Open Archives website provides access to digitized photographs from the collection, showcasing the incredible work that B.U.G. was doing in the different Boston communities.

Charlotte Kahn and Governor Michael Dukakis speak at an Earth Moving event, 1985.

As B.U.G. grew, so did their community impact. They worked in partnership with low-income community members, the Boston Housing Authority, and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, among many other state organizations, in order to provide resources for families and members of Boston neighborhoods. While working on the wellness of their community, there was a bonus of the beautification of the neighborhoods. According to Boston Urban Gardeners: Grassroots Community Development (1996), the organization had a large range of accomplished projects, such as “community gardens, playlots, wildflower meadows, a job training program in landscape contracting and management, studies for the landscape of public housing, low maintenance landscapes for highway rights-of-way, and an open space study for Roxbury.” While there was a lot of support for B.U.G., finding consistent funding was a large problem and called for a need of creativity among members in order to fundraise.

Domingo Fernandez stands besides “Handicapped Garden” sign, 1991.

In 1990, the organization merged with Southwest Corridor Community Farm (SCCF), becoming Boston Urban Gardeners at the Community Farm. SCCF has very similar values and mission to B.U.G., which made the merger easier for both organizations. Their everlasting impact on the Boston communities in which they worked can be researched through their records in Healey Library. View the collection’s finding aid or browse the digital photographs to get a sense of the work they were doing and the community they were building.

Contact library.archives@umb.edu to schedule an appointment to view this collection.

References:

“Boston Urban Gardeners: Grassroots Community Development.” The West Philadelphia Landscape Project. August 20, 1996. https://web.mit.edu/wplp/plan/bostonur.htm.

Boston Urban Gardeners photographs. University Archives and Special Collections, Joseph P. Healey Library, University of Massachusetts Boston. Accessed August 8, 2025. https://openarchives.umb.edu/digital/collection/p15774coll31.

Boston Urban Gardeners records, SC-0043. University Archives and Special Collections, Joseph P. Healey Library, University of Massachusetts Boston. Accessed August 8, 2025. https://archives.umb.edu/repositories/2/resources/238.

“Dare To Be Naive: Boston Urban Gardeners.” 12 Degrees of Freedom. Accessed August 8, 2025. http://12degreesoffreedom.org/bostonurbangardeners.html.

Sörbom, Caroline. “A History of Boston’s Community Gardens.” Blue Dot Living. April 2024. https://bluedotliving.com/a-history-of-bostons-community-gardens/.

“The Southwest Corridor Farm.” The West Philadelphia Landscape Project. August 20, 1996. https://web.mit.edu/wplp/plan/swcorfrm.htm.

In the Archives: The Mass Media

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Author: Amanda McKay, Archives Assistant and graduate student in the English MA program at UMass Boston

The Mass Media is UMass Boston’s only independent student-run newspaper. In print since 1966, the newspaper aims to publish “a reliable, relevant and factual paper every week” (The Mass Media 2025). UMass Boston’s Founding Day Convocation ceremony took place in December 1966. This date aligns with the newspaper’s founding, making the newspaper a strong part of UMass Boston’s history. University Archives and Special Collections houses copies of past issues of the newspaper. Issues ranging from 1966 to 2011 are digitized and available through the Open Archives website, and more recent editions are available on the Mass Media website. As a student and active member of the UMass Boston community, diving deep into past issues is very interesting and reveals a lot about UMass Boston’s students, faculty, campus, and culture as a whole.

A letter to the editor from a UMass Boston library worker. Volume 1, issue 1, 1966.

One interesting section from the first issue of the newspaper is the “Letter to the Editor” section, allowing students and faculty to get the word out about something important. In this issue, a library worker sent in a letter regarding students leaving unattended items in the library in order to reserve a study spot while they go somewhere else. This issue also features advertisements from local businesses and organizations, showcasing how the newspaper not only connects UMass Boston students to each other, but also to the surrounding community of Boston as a whole. The image below shows an advertisement for the Charles Playhouse in Boston. By including advertisements like these, the newspaper allowed for students, especially those new to the area, to get acquainted with Boston, while also supporting local organizations.

An ad shown in volume 1, issue 1 of The Mass Media for The Charles Playhouse.

Looking at more recent editions of the newspaper, it is clear that The Mass Media’s vision and dedication to the community has stayed strong and consistent. In Volume 59, Issue 15 from April 2025, articles highlight world and local news as well as aspects of student culture and events. Now there is even a humor and puzzle section, allowing readers to connect with the newspaper in different ways. As a student here at UMass, I have a deep appreciation for the commitment to honesty and integrity in reporting by our student newspaper. Be sure to pick up the most recent copy of The Mass Media at any time by visiting the newsstands throughout campus, or by visiting The Mass Media’s website. Email library.archives@umb.edu for an appointment to view the collection in person at Healey Library, or visit Open Archives to view the issues virtually.

An article from The Mass Media, volume 59, issue 15.

References:

“About.” The Mass Media. Accessed August 8, 2025. https://umassmedia.com/about.

“Mass Media Student Newspaper Collection.” University Archives and Special Collections, Joseph P. Healey Library, University of Massachusetts Boston. Accessed August 8, 2025. https://openarchives.umb.edu/digital/collection/p15774coll18.

“Print Archive.” The Mass Media. Accessed August 8, 2025. https://umassmedia.com/category/pdf-archive.

“The University of Massachusetts Boston.” Wikipedia. Accessed August 8, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Massachusetts_Boston.

University of Massachusetts Boston, The Mass Media newspaper collection, UAPUB-0008. University Archives and Special Collections, Joseph P. Healey Library, University of Massachusetts Boston. Accessed August 8, 2025. https://archives.umb.edu/repositories/2/resources/456.

In the Archives: Joiner Institute Writers’ Workshop Photographs

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Author: Amanda McKay, Archives Assistant and graduate student in the English MA program at UMass Boston

Participant with Marilyn Nelson, 2000. Photo by Melissa Shook.

In the early 1980s, UMass Boston’s William Joiner Institute for the Study of War and Social Consequences launched a writers’ workshop focused on war and its aftermath. The workshop included classes, discussions, readings, and much more. Since the start of the workshop, the Joiner Institute has worked to transform thoughts, feelings, and experiences relating to war into artistic expression through writing, but these workshops soon became more than that.

After a lecture at the Yenching Library in Cambridge, Mass., circa 1996-2000. Photo by Melissa Shook.

Digitized photographs of the writers’ workshop are available through Healey Library’s Open Archives website. These photographs, taken by long-time UMass Boston faculty member Melissa Shook between circa 1996-2001, reveal the personal and collaborative efforts of the writers’ workshop, and of the Joiner Institute as a whole. The workshop became more than it set out to be; it created connections among members and provided a sense of community. Shook’s long-standing connection to and intimate documentation of the university program show how art and memory were powerfully intertwined. Shook’s life and legacy live on through Healey Library’s Melissa Shook papers.

Four women, seated on a couch, are having a conversation, 2000. Photo by Melissa Shook.

The Joiner Institute’s writers’ workshop series was incredibly important for participants, but it was only one part of the institute’s mission, which is “to inform, develop, and implement equitable policies, programs, and pathways to help ensure the health, safety, well-being and success of veterans, their families, and others impacted by war or military service, without exception.” Be sure to check out the Joiner Institute website to learn more, and visit the University Archives and Special Collections department to view the Joiner Institute records and learn about their fascinating history and writers’ workshop.

Contact library.archives@umb.edu to schedule a research appointment.

References:

“Joiner Institute Writers’ Workshop Photographs.” University Archives and Special Collections, Joseph P. Healey Library, University of Massachusetts Boston. Accessed July 17, 2025. https://openarchives.umb.edu/digital/collection/joiner.

Nelson, Caleb. “How Can We Save The Joiner Institute?” Veteran Art Movement. June 17, 2018. https://www.veteran-art-movement.net/evam-blog/can-we-save-the-joiner-institute.

“William Joiner Center Writers’ Workshop.” ShawGuides. Accessed July 18, 2025. https://writing.shawguides.com/joinercenter.

In the Archives: Jack Powers Collection

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Author: Amanda McKay, Archives Assistant and graduate student in the English MA program at UMass Boston

Drawn portrait of Jack Powers with “A Poet of the City” next to it.

Growing up in and around housing projects in Roxbury, Massachusetts, Jack Powers was no stranger to struggle and need. At the age of seventeen, Powers decided he was going to turn this struggle into something good, and the rest of his life is a testament to his devotion to community, welfare, and knowledge. Healey Library’s Jack Powers collection highlights the various areas of activism that Powers belonged to. Two major accomplishments from this collection are the Beacon Hill Free School and his Stone Soup poetry reading series.

Bookmark from the Downtown Reading Series, 1992.

During the prime of the Beacon Hill Free School, weekly classes on various topics were held for local community members, free of charge. Holding around eleven classes per week in his apartment, and another twenty per week in the Beacon Hill community center, Powers had a full schedule—and he never sacrificed his philanthropy for paid work. Class topics were not limited by any means, with Powers saying, “Every idea was held up like a jewel in the light so that if there were any defect hopefully human intelligence would see it” (Robb 2 Jun. 1979). His idea of freedom was expressed through the catalogue of extensive classes that were offered.

Schedule of the Downtown Reading Series, 1992.

Later, in the 1970s, Powers decided to create Stone Soup, a nightly poetry event. Stone Soup was a come-one-come-all event that featured renowned poets such as Allen Ginsberg, as well as local poets who hadn’t gotten their break into the spotlight yet. True to its name, a children’s folktale about community, the poetry series was a collective energy that livened up the arts scene in Beacon Hill and in Boston as a whole. Powers once said that, “We’re all in this world together, and there’s no better way to translate pleasure than through the magic of words,” showing his true intentions behind the reading series. Accessibility was at the forefront of Powers’ mind, and he achieved it by creating a safe space that was less “literary salon” and more “neighborhood activism.” Stone Soup lives on today, with meetings held both virtually and in person. There is an updated blog page with recent and upcoming activities that the organization holds as well as spotlights on local authors and artists.

The Jack Powers collection at UMass Boston not only includes information regarding the programs that Powers founded, but also information about Powers’ personal life and writings. The collection isn’t just about the power of art, it also documents the power of community and what can happen when people come together, something that must be remembered and held onto for generations to come.

Poster for “Jack Powers at Gallery Imago,” February 1985.

All images courtesy of the Jack Powers collection in Healey Library.

References:

Hartigan, Patti. “Literary Boston: Literary Boston.” Boston Globe. February 16, 1989. https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/literary-boston/docview/2445561348/se-2.

Holder, Doug. “Stone Soup Poetry founder Jack Powers: Looking back.” The Somerville Times. October 27, 2010. https://www.thesomervilletimes.com/archives/8821.

Jack Powers collection, SC-0001. University Archives and Special Collections, Joseph P. Healey Library, University of Massachusetts Boston. Accessed August 1, 2025. https://archives.umb.edu/repositories/2/resources/195.

Negri, Gloria. “Boston’s Jack Powers: Helping people body and soul.” Boston Globe. March 15, 1987. https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/bostons-jack-powers-helping-people-body-soul/docview/2074430383/se-2.

The Poetry Foundation. “Jack Powers.” Accessed August 1, 2025. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/blog/uncategorized/55706/jack-powers-.

Robb, Christina. “A Poet’s Odyssey with Stone Soup.” Boston Globe. June 2, 1979. https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/poets-odyssey-with-stone-soup/docview/747069726/se-2.

In the Archives: Dorchester Pottery Works

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Author: Amanda McKay, Archives Assistant and graduate student in the English MA program at UMass Boston

In 1895, George Henderson brought his knowledge of stoneware to Boston and opened Dorchester Pottery Works, a stonework business with the intention of selling stoneware both industrially and commercially. Until its closing in 1979, Dorchester Pottery Works operated as a family-run business, with son Charles Henderson taking over after George’s death in 1928. Before his death, George worked to create his own clay-firing kiln, described as, “beehive type, downdraft kiln built in a circular form. The interior dimensions, 22 feet in diameter and 10 feet in height allowed two to three freight carloads of pottery to be fired at one time” (Mock 1984).  With the large-scale kiln, the family business was booming and was well-received by consumers.

UMass Boston’s University Archives and Special Collections department not only holds records of the business but also houses pieces created at Dorchester Pottery Works. Photos of the pottery available through Healey Library’s Open Archives website show just how detailed and beautiful these pieces were. My personal favorites are the ones that are more artistic, showing off the skills of the pottery makers and stoneworkers. For example, these blue dishes show off painted, artistic designs including half scroll, geometric, and colonial lace patterns.

However, the creativeness did not stop at just the painted design. This star-shaped candy dish shows off how form and design come together by skilled workers to create a practical, yet visually interesting piece.

Along with these, the workers also created practical, minimalistic pieces, such as this brown pot.

Along with housewares, they also created various feeders and even a chicken waterer—a container to hold water for chickens, allowing clean water to be filtered through to promote the health of the livestock.

Their most popular invention was the footwarmer with a metal, leakproof tap which received a lot of praise and attention. It was even featured in The Ladies Home Journal!

Some of these pieces can be seen on display in the Archives Research Room on the fifth floor of Healey Library, or digitally through Open Archives, so be sure to stop by or visit our website to see what was created at Dorchester Pottery Works!

References

“Dorchester Pottery Works.” Wikipedia. Accessed July 11, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorchester_Pottery_Works.

Mock, Elizabeth. “Dorchester Pottery Works: records, 1905-1961.” April 1984. https://web.archive.org/web/20060919220912/http://www.lib.umb.edu/archives/pot.html

Open Archives. University Archives and Special Collections, Joseph P. Healey Library, University of Massachusetts Boston. Accessed July 11, 2025. https://openarchives.umb.edu/digital/search/searchterm/dorchester%20pottery.