Join Dr. Tim Walker on this talk highlighting little-known stories of freedom-seeking by sea and describes the less-understood maritime side of the Underground Railroad.

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You are invited to the exclusive pre-release screening of "Sweet Freedom" by local filmmaker Alyssa Botelho,

This 29-minute historial drama shares the true story of Polly Johnson, an Afro-Indigenous confectioner and business owner who served as a station master on the Underground Railroad in New Bedford. 

While this event is free and open to the public, the Bristol Middle Passage Project would greatly appreciate donations to help fund its mission.

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Enjoy an unforgettable performance by Robert B. Jones, Sr. celebrating the blues, Black History Month, and Reverend Robert Jones special brand of storytelling.

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Discover the early history of Newport’s people of color, enslaved and free. Explore the places where enslaved people lived and labored, along with locations where free African Americans built their enterprises and supported a new local industry.

Tours depart outside of the Museum of Newport History at the Brick Market, located at the foot of Washington Square, 127 Thames Street, Newport RI. Attendees should look for a sign indicating where to check in with the guide and depart for the tour to the north of the building near the flagpoles. Space is limited, advance registration is required. 

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ONGOING AT THE NEWPORT HISTORICAL SOCIETY

The Know Your History initiative at Newport Historical Society is a hub for resources to connect audiences with historical information that is relevant to the history we are making now. Currently the hub is featuring resources on Newport and Rhode Island’s history relative to people of African descent, Native Americans, the history of protest and suffrage, and religious toleration.

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The International Tennis Hall of Fame has launched its newest digital exhibit, Breaking Boundaries in Black Tennis, which highlights the breakthroughs, evolution, and impact of Black tennis players and influential contributors to the sport globally.

The initial launch of Breaking Boundaries features 70 individuals representing 19 nations, and will continue to expand with many more inspiring stories to be added on an ongoing basis. Fans are also encouraged to submit their own suggestions of athletes and contributors for inclusion through a form included in the exhibit.

Visitors to the exhibit can browse athletes’ and contributors’ profiles by navigating an interactive map grouped by region. Breaking Boundaries features biographical information and interactive profiles that highlight the on-court achievements and the lasting impact of players’ successes on the sport of tennis.

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Explore the story of one Black family's pursuit of the American Dream. 

Attend this virtual conversation with journalist and author Lee Hawkins about his memoir, I Am Nobody's Slave: How Uncovering My Family’s History Set Me Free.

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Head to the Newport Public Library where kids (ages 6 - 12) and tweens (8-12) can learn about the history of Disco in honor of Black History Month. Enjoy crafts and related activities, and of course, music! 

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Melanie Scholtz Record Release Party for "Seven" on AfricaArise/ Ropeadope Records. 

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Head to Newport Craft to welcome renowned djembefola Sidy Maïga and his band for a special exclusive Black History Month performance on Friday, February 28, 2025, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. 

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Join author CJ Martin, author of “The Precious Birthright: Black Leaders and the Fight to Vote in Antebellum Rhode Island” for a talk and signing. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing. Registration recommended. 

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Bowen’s Wharf, In the 18th century, the city of Newport was a major hub of the North American slave trade. During that time in present day Bowen’s Wharf, slaves arrived and departed in sailing ships and labored in trades related to maritime commerce, including serving as shipbuilders, sailors, caulkers, sailmakers, carpenters, rope-makers, painters, barrel-makers and dock workers.

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John Stevens Workshop, John Stevens II (1702-1778) was a skilled craftsman, cutter of gravestones, and stone and brick mason. Like all artisans in colonial Newport, he supplied the maritime traders, particularly the African and West Indies slave trade. The shop today houses the business of renowned stone carver Nicholas Benson.

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“God’s Little Acre,” a section of the Newport’s Common Burying Ground is where you’ll find the largest surviving collection of burial markers of enslaved and free Africans.  This historic burial ground is the final resting place of 17^th and 18^th Century African slaves and free persons of color who contributed greatly to the commerce, society, and religious life of Colonial Newport.

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East Ferry Wharf, Jamestown Rhode Island was a special place for commerce and transit across southern New England. However, slavery also tread this path through Jamestown for almost two centuries. Jamestown is a neighbor to Newport, the originator of the largest number of American-owned slave voyages in the nation.

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Patriots Park, this park is the site of the Battle of Rhode Island and has been designated a National Historic Landmark, by the National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior.  It commemorates the historic battle of the Revolutionary War.  It has a memorial to the 1st Rhode Island Regiment, and The Battle of Rhode Island, August 29, 1778. 

The Bloody Run Brook is where the First Black Militia fought, and the site honors the first Black slaves and freemen who fought in the Battle of Rhode Island as members of the First Rhode Island Regiment; The Black Regiment. Located at the intersection of West Main Road (Rhode Island Route 114) and Rhode Island Route 24 on West Main Road.

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The DeWolf Tavern is cloaked in a renovated 1818 coffee and sugar warehouse constructed from repurposed slave ship ballast. Bristol-based maritime merchants James and William DeWolf built the warehouse and attached distillery for their “Triangle Trade” enterprise. Remnants of wooden barrels used in making rum were unearthed during the building’s restoration and one is on display on site.

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Visit Lindon Place, the family home of the DeWolf’s for a revealing look at the family’s involvement in the Slave Trade. Tour highlights include tales of DeWolf family exploits, from their privateering and slave trading to their financial ruin and triumphant return to prosperity during Victorian times. Visitors are welcome to stroll the sculpture-filled gardens where they will find Greek bronzes and an 18^th Century gazebo.

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The Eddy-Cutler House, 30 State Street, was built circa 1806-1812 by Warren merchant and slave trader Benjamin Eddy. Captain Eddy was an owner and captain of at least three slave voyages, the snow Eliza in 1801 and the ship Agent in 1806 and 1807.

Eddy purchased the property only months after delivering 139 captives to the Charleston docks in June 1806, and before leaving in September for another journey to Africa.

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The James Driscoll House, 26 State Street, is a three story Federal Mansion built by James Maxwell for his daughter Hannah Maxwell Driscoll, traditionally said to have been a wedding present.  The property was sold to him by John Child in 1806.

James Maxwell was a sea captain and slave trader in the Triangle Trade and reputed to be one of the wealthiest men in Warren.

A large part of Maxwell’s wealth may be attributable to the sale of enslaved captives, such as those aboard Maxwell’s schooner Abigail, which left Warren in September 1789. The captain of the vessel, Charles Collins, purchased 64 slaves on the coast of Africa, and sold them in the Americas by June of 1790. Of the 64 captives embarked on the ship, only 53 survived the voyage.

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The history of slavery in Barrington spanned a period of nearly two hundred years and predates the establishment of the town itself. Slavery continued throughout the eighteenth century. The 1774 census documents a population of 601, with 57 enslaved peoples, including 18 people listed as “Indian.” At least 12 enslaved people from Barrington, including Scipio Freeman, fought for their freedom during the Revolutionary War with the First Rhode Island Regiment.

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