NEWBURYPORT — The City of Newburyport, in collaboration with the Newburyport Black History Initiative (NBHI), will celebrate the installation of an historic interpretive sign that recognizes the contributions of Black Americans who lived and worked in Newburyport from the pre-Revolutionary War era to the early 20th century.
WHEN:
Wednesday, Feb. 1, at 4 p.m. (in case of inclement weather, Wednesday, Feb. 8, at 4 p.m.)
WHERE:
Along the Clipper City Rail Trail. Parking will be available at the Graf Skating Rink off Low Street, next to the Rail Trail.
WHAT:
The City of Newburyport, in collaboration with the Newburyport Black History Initiative (NBHI), will unveil the first of 10 historic interpretive signs that recognize the contributions of Black Americans who lived and worked in Newburyport.
The event marks the beginning of Black History Month. The project is a collaboration among NHBI, the City of Newburyport, Mayor Sean Reardon, and the City Council.
This first interpretive sign focuses on “A Black Neighborhood in Historic Newburyport,” marking the location of the once-thriving “Guinea Village” and the adjacent railroad bridge known as “Guinea Bridge” – a name that lingered into the 1980s even though its history had been largely forgotten.
The interpretive sign has been installed along the Clipper City Rail Trail just south of the Low Street bridge that was once “Guinea Bridge.”
The Newburyport Black History Initiative is directed by Dr. Kabria Baumgartner, the City’s Senior Project Manager, Geordie Vining, and Cyd Raschke, and is supported by Community Preservation Act funds.
The Initiative is working to illuminate City history that has been largely overlooked or forgotten, and is installing interpretive signs in the everyday public landscape of Newburyport’s core.
A group walk will be held following the ceremony. The walk, along the Rail Trail to Auburn Street, will trace the footsteps of the past residents. The walk will end at the Old Hill Burial Ground at the gravestone of John C.H. Young, a Black 19th century barbershop owner known for his care and compassion for others.
