Nubian Square facts for kids
Nubian Square is a busy area in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It used to be called Dudley Square. This square is the main shopping and business center for Roxbury. It is found where Dudley Street meets Washington Street. For a long time, Nubian Square has been an important place for African American culture in Boston. Before that, many Jewish people lived in the area.
For most of the 1900s, the square was a major transportation hub. It had a station called Dudley station (now Nubian station). This station was part of the Washington Street Elevated, an elevated train line that closed in 1987. Many streetcar lines also started from this station, going to nearby neighborhoods. Today, Nubian Square is a large bus terminal. It is also the end point for the MBTA's bus rapid transit Silver Line service.
History of Nubian Square
In the early days of Boston, Washington Street was the only way to connect Shawmut Peninsula (where Old Boston was) to the mainland. Nubian Square is on the mainland side of this connection, in an area once known as The Neck. Back then, it was called Dudley Square.
Important growth in Roxbury began in the 1800s. Nubian Square became a busy place for shops and businesses. When Boston started its streetcar service through the Boston Elevated Railway, Dudley Square station opened in 1901. This made Nubian Square even more important. It became a central spot for the community.
After the Boston Elevated Railway became the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in 1947, streetcar service to Nubian Square changed. Buses replaced the streetcars in the 1950s and 1960s. Also, a big highway project, the Southwest Expressway, was planned to go through Roxbury. Plans to move the Nubian Square community for this project caused many people to relocate. Parts of the community were also rebuilt. This led to some disagreements with Boston city officials.
The change from streetcars to buses was finished in 1987. This was when the Washington Street Elevated train line closed. Around this time, Nubian Square started to get new investments. Important community buildings, like the post office, were rebuilt. Others, such as the Roxbury Boys and Girls Club, were restored.
Why the Name Changed
The square was originally named after Thomas Dudley. He was an important leader in the early Massachusetts Bay Colony. He served as governor many times. A local group called the Nubian Square Coalition wanted to change the name. They pointed out that Dudley was a leader in 1641. This was when the colony became the first to legally allow slavery. Other reasons for the change included wanting to keep the community's unique identity. They also wanted to prevent changes that might push out local residents.
The new name, "Nubian," comes from an ancient region. This region is now in Egypt and Sudan. It was home to one of the oldest civilizations in ancient Africa. The Bay State Banner newspaper, based in Roxbury, supported a name change. However, they did not want the square to be called "Nubian" because Nubians also owned slaves. Byron Rushing, who used to lead the Museum of African American History in Boston, said he found no proof that Dudley himself owned slaves.
A special question was put on the November 5, 2019, election ballot for all Boston residents. It asked, "Do you support the renaming/changing of the name of Dudley Square to Nubian Square?" About 54% of the votes were against the change. About 46% were in favor.
Even though the city-wide vote was against it, the name change "passed in the surrounding areas" near the square. After this, Mayor of Boston Marty Walsh announced that the city would look at the idea more closely. On December 19, 2019, the Public Improvement Commission voted unanimously to change the name from Dudley Square to Nubian Square. The new name is now official in Boston's street records. However, there are no physical signs yet that show either the old or new name. The Nubian Square Coalition said their next goal was to change the name of the bus station, Dudley Square station. In February 2020, it was announced that the station would indeed be renamed Nubian Station.
- Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative
