Cape Cod Church Explores Reparations For Sins Of Its History
Chuck Ross discovered that his 9th great grandfather, John Freeman, enslaved a man of African descent named Hamsheir. Freeman was one of the founders of First Parish Brewster, and his grave is in the churchyard. The church has identified other enslaved people in its history as part of a reparations project.
Jennette Barnes / GBH
As American institutions take steps to deal with this country’s racist past and present, some Cape Codders are looking at their own community history and working not only to change, but also to atone.
Chuck Ross is walking the old burial ground at First Parish Brewster, a Unitarian Universalist church, looking for the grave of his ninth great-grandfather.
CAI
Chuck Ross discovered that his ninth great grandfather, John Freeman, enslaved a man of African descent named Hamsheir. Freeman was one of the founders of First Parish Brewster, and his grave is in the churchyard. The church has identified other enslaved people in its history as part of a reparations project, one of a number of efforts around the region looking at historical racism and taking action for change.
As American institutions take steps to deal with this country’s racist past and present, some Cape Codders are looking at their own community history and working not only to change, but also to atone.
The Falmouth Select Board on Monday night, April 26, expressed its frustration over the lack of information available at Town Meeting that might have caused an article to fund renovations of the police station to fail.
Following the finance committeeâs advice, Town Meeting members rejected the article, which sought $1.1 million. The finance committee recommended indefinite postponement of Article 12 on the warrant because members were not given details on the cost estimate.
âI do want to apologize to Town Meeting members, the finance committee and the select board for placing you in a difficult and awkward position regarding this important renovation project due to the late timing of our receipt of the final cost estimate,â Town Manager Julian M. Suso said.
West Dennis-based company REEF Builders has several pending permit applications in towns across Cape Cod some of which were submitted four months ago and have not yet been reviewed. For a construction project that typically takes nine months for the company to complete, it is now taking about 12 months.
“Everything is taking a lot longer than anticipated,” said project manager Jessica Smith, who focuses mostly on new construction but also large-scale renovation projects. “It’s really tough.”
Building departments across the Cape are reporting an influx of residential building permits in the past year as second homeowners opt to spend more time during the pandemic in their Cape Cod homes and seek renovations. The volume has caused construction and renovation projects to be delayed for months.
With a few minor wording and word placement changes, members of the Falmouth School Committee and the Falmouth Select Board voted to approve the job description for a new diversity, equity, and inclusion officer position at a joint meeting on Tuesday night.
This position was approved and funded at an annual salary of $85,000 at Annual Town Meeting in June last year, followed by months of discussion with, and feedback from, the Townâs Affirmative Action/Diversity Committee and members of the Falmouth community.
âWe received good insight from people from a variety of backgrounds,â select board chairwoman Megan E. English Braga said as she opened the meeting.