February is Black History Month, and you can celebrate by exploring these online resources about the sites of our region’s rich African-American past.
Maine Baseball Hall of Fame inductee John Gaskill and his family were among the residents of Munjoy Hill’s Black community that you can read about on our blog. The Gaskill family home at 24 Montreal Street is currently for sale, and could be torn down by the new buyer.
Pfc. Robert Holley stationed in North Yarmouth, 1942
During the 19th and early 20th century, Munjoy Hill was home to a vibrant African-American neighborhood. Read about some the homes and histories of these families on our blog, in part one and part two. You can also explore these stories, along with the wider history of the Hill, in our Munjoy Hill virtual walking tour!
St. John & Valley Street was also historically home to a Black community. The lodging and cafes in the Green Book for Portland are located in the St. John/Valley Street neighborhood. One important resident was Moses Green, who was born into slavery in Maryland and later became the wealthiest African-American man in Maine with his real estate company that helped Black families buy homes. Explore the neighborhood with our virtual walking tour!
Learn about the Black Guards of Maine in an online exhibit at the Maine Historical Society. The Black Guards were African-American soldiers sent to guard the state’s railways during World War II, including in North Yarmouth. The Maine Historical Society also sells some great publications about Maine’s Black history, available here. (Another great book available online is Maine’s Visible Black History by H.H. Price and Gerald Talbot.)
The Abyssinian Meeting House is one of Portland’s most important landmarks. Learn more about the building’s story and the tireless efforts of the Cummings Family to restore it. Portland’s India Street neighborhood was home to a Black community with many members affiliated with the Abyssinian. Explore the history of India Street in our virtual walking tour!
The Atlantic Black Box Project is a collaborative endeavor to explore the history and legacy of the slave trade in New England, and uncover underrepresented histories and the origins of racial injustice in our region. Learn about the rural African-American community of Peterborough, Maine in this lecture with Dr. Kate McMahon of Atlantic Black Box. You can also explore a wealth of fascinating stories from throughout New England (including some guest posts by Landmarks!) on the ABB blog.
Historian Bob Greene recently recorded a lecture on Maine’s Black history with a focus on Yarmouth. Watch the video, hosted by the Yarmouth Historical Society, here!
Learn the fascinating story of Bishop Healy’s cottage on Little Diamond Island, Maine, in this talk by Harry Pringle for the Portland Public Library’s Sustainability Series. Healy was the first Black Catholic bishop ordained in the United States.
Portland’s Indigo Arts Alliance is collaborating with Atlantic Black Box on a series called ReMapping New England. Described as a “historical recovery project”, it explores public art, social activism, monument making, and collective memory. Watch the first lecture here, or register for their next event.
The newly launched Black in Historic Preservation collective highlights past and present contributions of Black people to the field of historic preservation, and includes the Black Preservationists Directory. You can learn about justice, equity, and representation in historic preservation by watching the University of Maryland School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation’s symposium Re-Centering the Margin: Justice and Equity in Historic Preservation. All sessions are available on YouTube here.