The Opening Celebration of the Edward W. Kane & Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History

Saturday, June 20th, 2026

6pm to 8pm

Great Friends Meeting House | 21 Farewell Street, Newport

Cocktail Party & Conversation Event

Join us for the opening celebration of the Edward W. Kane & Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History at the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House, a landmark addition to Newport’s cultural landscape. We invite you to an evening of cocktails and conversation, highlighted by a keynote address from internationally renowned author and advocate Heather McGhee. Heather designs and promotes solutions to inequality in America. Over her career in public policy, Heather has crafted legislation, testified before Congress and helped shape presidential campaign platforms. Her book The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together spent 10 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and was longlisted for the National Book Award and Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction.

Set against the historic backdrop of the Great Friends Meeting House, this evening honors the stories that shape us and the visionaries who preserve them. VIP tickets at $500 + include a tour of the Center meeting at 17 Broadway at 5 PM.

Ticket levels and pricing are as follows:

• Friend Ticket $175 – General Admission for the Cocktail Party and Keynote.
• Advocate Ticket $500 – General Admission for the Cocktail Party and Keynote, One 5pm ticket for an exclusive tour of the Center for Black History, and a signed copy of Heather McGhee’s book Sum of Us, and VIP parking.
• Champion Ticket $1,000 – General Admission for the Cocktail Party and Keynote, Two 5pm tickets for an exclusive tour of the Center for Black History, a signed copy of Heather McGhee’s book Sum of Us, and VIP parking.
• Patron Ticket $2,500 – Reserved seating for the Cocktail Party and Keynote, Four 5pm tickets for an exclusive tour of the Center for Black History, a signed copy of Heather McGhee’s book Sum of Us, and VIP parking. 
• Supporter Ticket $5,000 – Reserved seating for the Cocktail Party and Keynote, Six 5pm tickets for an exclusive tour of the Center for Black History, a signed copy of Heather McGhee’s book Sum of Us, and VIP parking.

Tickets are required for entry to this event. Purchase tickets below: