The Bell: A Resounding Symbol Comes to The Robbins House

BY ROB MUNRO

For the past decade, The Robbins House has committed to telling the story of Concord’s African American history and culture through the narratives of the inhabitants of the house and their participation in Concord’s rich history of independence, civil rights, and activism. Enmeshed throughout this narrative is the concept of “the long Civil Rights movement,” a conceptual framework that recognizes that the struggle for black and indigenous civil rights began the moment the first African was enslaved on US soil and continues today; it spans both time and place, enslaved and free, White and Black.

Bell on the plantation in 1895

Image courtesy of the Massachusetts State Archives

This October, The Robbins House will expand their interpretation of the long civil rights movement through the acquisition of an early 19th century bell. “The Bell,” as it’s been termed, was originally cast by prominent bellfounder, Jose Giroud, of Trinidad, Cuba, for a family sugar plantation. The Bell was used to signify the beginning and end of the day for the enslaved. It was an ominous symbol of control, dehumanization, and fear. In 1927, The Bell was bequeathed to the newly-founded private school, Belmont Hill School in Belmont, MA. For some thirty years, The Bell stood sentry in the middle of the campus and was rung by the students on the occasion of chapel. Although The Bell ceased to be rung in the 1950s, it remained in its posts until very recently. Through the hard work of Belmont Hill students and two history teachers, The Bell’s slave past came to light. In order to do justice to the dynamic, painful, and redemptive story of The Bell, the Belmont Hill School bequeathed The Bell to The Robbins House, who will house, interpret, and offer programming about The Bell. Through the partnership with Belmont Hill, The Robbins House will also offer educational opportunities for students to engage with The Bell.

Bell on scaffolding in 2019

Image courtesy of The Belmont Hill School

Despite The Bell’s painful past, it does offer an opportunity to talk about the dynamic relationship between enslavement and freedom. As much as it is a symbol of oppression, The Bell, and bells in general, also hold significant symbolic power within the Black community. Martin Luther King’s famous declaration “let freedom ring” is but one example of the power of the collective and resounding reverberation of the fight for independence and agency. Another poignant example is in the opening line of the Negro National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Lift every voice and sing, till earth and heaven ring.

Five hundred pound bell taken down in preparation for the move to The Robbins House

Photo courtesy of Maria Madison

The Robbins House is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day and with shortened hours through the end of October. The Bell will be placed outside and will be accessible to visitors even when the house is closed. Stay tuned for more news on when The Bell will be installed at The Robbins House.

Rob Munro, Co-President of The Robbins House, is the Dean of Academic Program and Equity at Concord Academy. He also serves on the Board of Governors at the Concord Museum.