The St. Mark’s Social Center was founded in 1941 next to the St. Mark’s Congregational Church in Roxbury, Massachusetts. During the Social Center’s creation, the pastor of the church was Reverend Samuel Leroy Laviscount. Reverend Laviscount lead the Church for over thirty years and helped in it becoming a prominent congregation. From 1941 to 1966, both the Church and the Social Center were located on Townsend Street, where they were at the epicenter of life and learning in the local area.

The Social Center served as a meeting and community space primarily for the Black residents of Roxbury. There were many programs, events, and activities offered to youth especially, including use of St. Mark’s nursery school, day camp, and recreation center and gymnasium. At the latter site, locals of all ages could swim, bowl, or play recreational sports. Whether they were children spending summers at the Social Center, teenagers attending seasonal dances, or adults participating in a variety of special interest groups, St. Mark’s gave frequent opportunities for the community to come together.

During the Civil Rights Movement of the mid twentieth century, the Social Center made significant efforts to work with Boston residents. In 1964, the Social Center developed the first Freedom School in Boston under the leadership of the executive director at the time, Noel Day. Freedom Schools were created around the country to address the disparities and discrimination Black students faced in the American education system. The curriculum for Freedom School’s such as the one affiliated with the St. Mark’s Social Center focused on Black American history and sought to engage deeply with the students, thereby building their confidence and strengthening their voice.

On June 18, 1964, the St. Mark’s Social Center served as the headquarters for a “stay-out” protesting segregation in the Boston Public School system. On this day, three thousand students, families, and friends did not attend class at the public schools of Boston but rather participated in workshops at Freedom Schools. The event was a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement of Boston and aligned with the Social Center’s overall practice of engaging in political, social, and cultural efforts of the surrounding area.

The running of the Social Center was not without some problems, as they faced a devastating fire in 1954 as well as occasional financial troubles. After twenty-five years of serving the people of Roxbury, the St. Mark’s Social Center for Negro Boys & Girls merged with the Ecumenical Center in 1967, which was located at 25 Crawford St.