John J. Smith House, a stop on Boston’s Black Heritage Trail
BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL
STOP 4
The fourth stop on the Black Heritage Trail in Boston is the former home of John J. Smith (1820-1906) near the corner of Pinckney and West Cedar streets. Smith was a black man who came to Boston from Richmond, Virginia, in the late 1840s and lived in this house from 1878 to 1893. He ran a barbershop that was a hot spot for abolitionists and black community leaders, as well as a stop on the Underground Railroad. He later served three terms in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
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Last updated on October 28, 2025
