On April 19, 1775, Massachusetts colonists engaged in battle with British soldiers. A dawn skirmish on Lexington’s town common was followed by a larger conflict in Concord. Eventually, thousands of people fought a running battle which raged through several towns throughout the day. After years of tension between Great Britain and its North American colonies, the events of April 19th broke long-held bonds and ignited the American Revolutionary War.
Colonists protested strenuously when they felt their rights were threatened by their government in Great Britain in the 1760s and 1770s. They underscored these protests with actions both large and small. Later, many lost their lives and property during the eight-year-long war for independence. After winning their freedom, Americans sought to build a country that, as asserted in the Declaration of Independence, promised its citizens “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
In an unprecedented moment in 1775, ordinary people in Lexington made extraordinary choices. An entire community—women, men, black, white, young, old, enslaved, and free—helped spark a revolution. Today, 250 years later, Americans continue to remember April 19, 1775 as a moment when everyday people shaped history. To mark this important anniversary, the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library is opening “Protest & Promise: The American Revolution in Lexington.” The exhibition explores the events of April 19, 1775, with images, objects, and an in-depth look at this watershed event and how it has been remembered. This exhibition will be on view until May 2027.
