College Hall

Located on a lot of donated land from Amherst College, it was built between the years of 1828 and 1829, to serve as the third meeting house of the First Congregational Church of Amherst. When a new congregational church was built on Main Street in 1868, Amherst College  purchased the former church building and its lands.  In 1905 the building was rededicated as College Hall, as well as expanded and remodeled, with the addition of new columns to the front.

        The first and second churches were built in site where the Octagon building of the campus is located currently.  During the transition from the second congregational church, to the third, or the now College Hall, Reverend David Parsons II was head minister.  The Parsons had owned three slaves, and preached to biracial audiences.

        Among its impressive list of speakers is Frederick Douglass, who’s speech was published in a local newspaper, giving away not much other information.  Below are links to the four published speeches of which he would give during the time.  Douglass was a free black man active in the abolitionist movement, who also support gender equality and women’s rights.  

 

 

 

http://www.frederickdouglass.org/performance.html#4thjuly

 

http://www1.assumption.edu/users/lknoles/douglass3.html

 

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Dr. Amilcar Shabazz
Dr. Amilcar Shabazz

Dedicated to

Dr. Amilcar Shabazz, chair of W.E.B. DuBois Department of Afro-American Studies, and instructor of the class "Heritage Of The Oppressed." Thank you for reminding us the importance of learning the stories of the "other." 

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