Senators Markey and Warren, Reps. Lynch and Pressley Urge National Park Service to Fully Investigate Arson at Museum of African American History Boston-Nantucket

Letter Text (PDF)

Boston (June 5, 2026) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass), member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, alongside Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass), Congressman Lynch (MA-08) and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), today sent a letter to Acting Director of the National Park Service (NPS) Jessica Bowron, urging the agency to do all it can to investigate a recent incident of arson at the Museum of African American History Boston-Nantucket and to cooperate with all full transparency with the Museum and local law enforcement partners, including by sharing any relevant security footage.

The letter follows reports that an unidentified individual committed an act of arson at the museum, which is a National Historic Site operated in partnership with the National Park Service. This individual opened up a package that contained materials meant for the Museum's celebration of Juneteenth and set the package on fire.

In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, "The Museum of African American History Boston-Nantucket operates the African Meeting House on Beacon Hill, which is the oldest existing Black church building in the country. Museum staff and visitors are understandably alarmed by this incident-both for the parallel it draws to hate crimes against Black activism and Black churches throughout history, and for the immediate security risk it poses to their organization and the historic neighborhood around the Museum. Your public commitment to investigating this incident and your collaboration with the Museum will be critical to address these fears and secure a resolution."

Senator Markey is the Senate co-author of Juneteenth National Independence Act signed into law in June 2021, making Juneteenth a federal holiday.

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