Newport, Rhode Island, has a rich and compelling African American history that might come as a surprise to anyone who assumes the city's story begins and ends with its collection of Gilded Age mansions.
Starting in the 17th century, the harborside town's Black residents have included enslaved Africans, free persons of color, prosperous homeowners in the Point neighborhood (featured in Season 3 of HBO's The Gilded Age), and many generations more of widely varying backgrounds and classes.
Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House, Newport Historical Society, Common Burying Ground, and Touro Park are included in this article.
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