Saturday, August 8th, 2026
Richard I. Burnham Resource Center | 82 Touro Street, Newport
Admission $15 – $20 per person | *Student Discounts now available $10 with valid student ID
6:30pm to 7:30pm; Doors open at 5:30pm for a complimentary reception
Join us for an evening of conversation with Jayna Dias, the artist of PORTE DU VOYAGE SANS RETOUR (DOOR OF NO RETURN). Dias will begin with an intimate walkthrough of her painting featured in the, “Newport, Slavery, and the African Diaspora” room in the Center for Black History — and conclude with a talk outlining her artistic practice — which intertwines her Senegalese-American ancestry, personal anecdotes, and Black critical theory to speak to the complexity of diaspora.
The Edward W. Kane & Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History at the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House will remain open until 6:30 PM on the evening of the program for guests to view the artist’s work in person.
The talk will take place up the hill at the Richard I. Burnham Resource Center at 82 Touro Street. Doors open at 5:30PM for a light reception and a chance for guests to explore the Newport Historical Society’s current exhibition, “Occupied! Newport and the Fight for Independence.” The lecture begins at 6:30 PM.
Lecture guests are invited to enjoy complimentary admission to the Edward W. Kane & Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History that day. For those unable to visit before the lecture begins, a voucher for free admission—valid for a limited time—will be provided upon request.