Boston’s Second Revolution”—the fight against slavery and for the equality of African-Americans—was led in the 1800s by free blacks who made their home in Boston’s Beacon Hill and West Side neighborhoods. They were leaders in the Abolition Movement, the Underground Railroad, the U.S. Civil War, and the earliest efforts to bring education and full rights to black Americans. This fascinating museum highlights this history. It occupies the Abiel Smith School (1834), the first American public grammar school for African-American children; and the African Meeting House (1806), one of the oldest black churches in the country. Changing and permanent exhibits use historic photographs, art, artifacts, documents, and other objects to explore an important era that often takes a back seat in Revolutionary War–obsessed New England. Be sure to visit Holmes Alley, off Smith Court—the narrow passageway is believed to have been a hiding place for fugitive slaves traveling the Underground Railroad. Guided tours of Boston’s Black Heritage Trail tour conclude here.