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Boston Marathon

A guide to resources about the Marathon available at the BPL and beyond.

Introduction

At 2:49pm during the 2013 marathon on April 15, two homemade bombs exploded near the finish line. Three spectators were killed, and over 100 others were injured with many losing limbs. Three days later, the bombers killed a police officer in Cambridge on the campus of MIT. Another police officer would die the next year due to injuries received in a different confrontation with the bombers in Watertown on the same night.

One of the bombers was killed in Watertown in the early morning hours of April 19. The other would be apprehended later that day, only a few hours after an unprecedented lockdown order was lifted. He was later found guilty of 30 charges related to the attacks and has been sentenced to death.

Victims

Krystle Campbell, age 29, from Medford. Killed by first explosion at finish line on April 15, 2013.
Lingzi Lu, age 23, from Shenyang, Liaoning, China. Killed by second explosion at 755 Boylston Street on April 15, 2013.
Martin Richard, age 8, from Dorchester. Killed by second explosion at 755 Boylston Street on April 15, 2013.
MIT Officer Sean Collier, age 27, from Wilmington, MA. Shot and killed by the bombers on April 18, 2013 while on patrol near the Stata Center on Vassar Street in Cambridge.
BPD Sgt. Dennis "DJ" Simmonds, age 28, from Randolph, MA. Died on April 10, 2014 as a result of a severe head injury caused by an explosion set off by the bombers during the confrontation in Watertown on April 19, 2013.

Image Courtesy of City of Boston Archives

Temporary Memorial

Shortly after the bombing, people from all over the world began leaving objects and messages of support at the police barricades that surrounded the bombing site. Once the scene was cleared and the barricades were removed, these objects and messages were moved to Copley Square where even more were added.

Most notable among the things left by visitors were many pairs of running sneakers, a great many of which were left by runners who had participated in the marathon. The sneakers and other objects are now held by the Boston City Archives as part of the Boston Marathon Bombing Memorial collection. From April to May of 2014, the BPL hosted an exhibit featuring some of the items as well as messages of support sent from all over the world.

Image Courtesy of City of Boston Archives

Boylston Street Memorial

A permanent memorial to the victims was unveiled on Boylston Street in August of 2019. The memorial is located on the sites of the bombings and are made of brick, granite, glass, and bronze. It was designed by Bolivian sculptor Pablo Eduardo, with input from the victims’ families and City officials.

  • Three granite pillars represent the three victims killed by the bombs: 
    • One from Spectacle Island for Krystle Campbell
    • One from the Boston University Bridge for Lingzi Lu
    • One from Franklin Park for Martin Richard
  • Two bronze badges represent MIT Officer Sean Collier and BPD Sgt. Dennis “DJ” Simmonds.
  • Each site features four columns made of bronze and frosted glass, which are illuminated from within by blue lights. According to Eduardo, they symbolize the city's strength protecting the fragility of life.

Cherry trees, which bloom around the time of the marathon, were also planted at each site.

Other Memorials

Aside from the memorial to the victims on Boylston Street, other places have been dedicated in memory of the victims in Massachusetts:

Further Reading

The Research Services Department holds a collection of hard copies of approximately 40 local newspapers covering from the day of the bombing on April 15, 2013 to the capture of the remaining bomber on April 19, 2013. This collection also includes a hard copy of a special edition of the Boston Globe that was published on the one-year anniversary of the bombing.

News Articles

Archives

  • Our Marathon (Northeastern University)
    • Archival project done in conjunction with the Boston City Archives collecting images and stories submitted by the public relating to the marathon and the bombing.
  • Boston Marathon Bombing response mail (City of Boston Archives)
    • This collection consists of international and domestic mail sent to the Mayor’s Office after the April 15, 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing. It includes letters, cards, posters, banners, gifts, and some printed emails. Correspondents include government dignitaries and officials as well as members of the general public. A large portion of the collection is comprised of mail sent by groups of children.