Note: Presented via Zoom as part of the Smithsonian Associates program.

By March 1770, Boston had endured nearly a year and a half of British military occupation, with rising tensions between soldiers and civilians. On March 5, the situation escalated when a sentry challenged a young apprentice over an unpaid bill, leading to a confrontation with townspeople. As more soldiers arrived, chaos ensued, and shots were fired, killing five men. The British called it an "unhappy disturbance," but Bostonians dubbed it the "Boston Massacre," sparking a fierce debate over its meaning.

Richard Bell, a professor of history at the University of Maryland, explores the Boston Massacre from its many sides. Drawing on the latest scholarship, he argues that the real history of the “affray on King Street” is far more fascinating than even Paul Revere’s famous engraving of it has led us to believe.