Rhode Island Slave History Medallions (RISHM) will host a free, family-friendly event to celebrate Juneteenth, America’s second Independence Day, which commemorates the liberation of people of African descent who were trafficked and enslaved. While Juneteenth is celebrated annually on June 19, the RISHM event will take place on Saturday, June 15, from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm at Eisenhower Park in Newport. The second Juneteenth program will pay tribute to the 1st Rhode Island “Black” Regiment through speakers, historians, dance performances, storytelling by RI Black Storyteller Valerie Tatson, historic regimental demonstrations and more. A special feature of this year’s event will be a reading of “The Letter of Valm” by RISHM Director Charles Roberts, a letter dictated by Thomas Nichols, who was freed from slavery to serve in the 1st Rhode Island Regiment.
The Juneteenth celebration also marks the first time the public can experience the “Newport Black History Walking Tour: Lost Stories of Freedom Resistance,” beginning June 15 at 4 p.m. Tours last approximately 75 minutes, and interested participants can sign up in person for a free pilot experience at RISHM’s Juneteenth Table on June 15. The regular season of tours begins June 22 and runs through November 30. Tours run Saturday through Monday from 10 to 11:15 a.m. Tickets for the regular season tours can be purchased online and are $20 for adults, $15 for military personnel and $10 for children 12 and under.
Kate Grotteberg, director of communications, marketing and events for the Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce, kicked off RISHM’s Black History Walking Tour on May 29. The purpose of the tour is to “recognize and educate the public about the sites that played an important role in the slave trade around Newport and Rhode Island, and share the documented stories of enslaved people who made significant contributions to Newport and our state,” explains Maria Hunter, one of the tour guides.
As the RISHM name suggests, medallions are dotted throughout Rhode Island marking significant sites related to the state’s slavery history. Currently, 16 medallions have been installed from North Kingstown to Aquidneck Island, with half of them in the city of Newport. Many of the medallions in Newport can be viewed on tours. There are plans to install a total of 37 medallions statewide.
The first medallions can be found at Bowen’s Wharf. Each medallion features a picture of an angel. “The angel picture is very important to the history of religious freedom in Newport,” Roberts says. The image in this context is to connect it to the freedom of slaves in Newport. The Black History Guided Tours are Roberts’ brainchild. “He’s passionate about telling untold stories,” says Steve Marino, one of RISHM’s tour guides. Roberts pursued this passion with encouragement from his uncle nearly 70 years ago. The walk is a symbol of his life’s work.
The walking tour will include stops at Queen Anne Park, Trinity Church, Samuel Hopkins House, William Ellery Channing House, Trinity Schoolhouse/Shiloh Baptist Church, William Vernon House and will end at Eisenhower Park near the Jane Pickens Theatre.
As you walk, your guide will tell you stories of “resilience” and “resistance” from the perspective of black people in colonial Newport. Stories include tales of slaves who staged acts of rebellion, bought their freedom, or became highly successful artisans and entrepreneurs. You will hear stories of “Ned the Black Boy,” Cuffe Gibbs and his brother Pompe Stevens, the Duchess of Quamino, “The Pastry Queen of Rhode Island,” and many more.
Newport has a rich history, but it’s mostly taught and told from a white perspective. “Those histories are often hidden,” Hunter says, referring to the stories of Newport’s black people. RISHM has been working with Roger Williams University’s history department for three years to piece together the threads of those stories, sifting through archives and documents to refocus history and remember the culture and contributions of Newport’s black people.
For more information about Newport Juneteenth or the walking tour, visit www.rishm.org or contact Charles Roberts at info@rishm.org.
