FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 19, 2024
CONTACT
Lauren Craig
Newport Historical Society to Create a Center for Black History
Launches $4.5M Voices Campaign
NEWPORT, RI – The Newport Historical Society today launched the Voices Campaign to raise $4.5 million to create a center for Black history in Newport. The campaign is off to a strong start thanks to a leadership gift from philanthropists and historic preservation champions Edward Kane and his wife, Martha Wallace.
A center for Black history builds on important work to date, including digitizing more than 4,000 records through the Voices from the NHS Archives database and the ongoing exhibition, A Name. A Voice. A Life: The Black Newporters of the 17th-19th Centuries. Collectively, these efforts illustrate how Newport’s story is inextricably intertwined with the transatlantic slave trade and the experiences of enslaved people. The center will be a place to explore this history, housed in the 327-year-old Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House at 17 Broadway, a National Historic Landmark and the oldest surviving home in Newport.
“One of Newport’s greatest strengths is the diversity of our community and how it has long informed our historic significance, cultural vibrance, and strong sense of connection,” said Newport Mayor Xay Khamsyvoravong. “To fully embrace our sense of city pride, we must embrace the experiences of all Newporters, especially those from the most challenging chapters of our history. I congratulate the Newport Historical Society for working tirelessly to center the Black experience in Newport, and I look forward to the eventual ribbon cutting for this essential place of history and community.”
Also advancing the effort is a $300,000 Save America’s Treasures grant secured with the help of U.S. Senator Jack Reed, who visited the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House Monday for a tour and celebration of the earmark.
Leadership donor Edward Kane, for whom the Edward W. Kane Library of the Newport Historical Society is named, is a longtime supporter of the organization. He is a strong advocate for historic preservation in Newport, and likewise supports museums and historic organizations across New England and beyond.
“The keepers of our past and its treasured artifacts–like the Newport Historical Society–have a tremendous responsibility to ensure that history is not forgotten, and that the community today has the opportunity to be educated and inspired by the people, events, and experiences that informed our current context,” said Edward Kane. “I am encouraged by the Society’s vision to make Newport history more inclusive and engaging and look forward to seeing the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House transformed.”
“I am incredibly grateful to Senator Reed, Ed Kane and Marty Wallace, and all our Board members, supporters, and valued community partners who have already stepped forward to accelerate this important initiative,” said Rebecca Bertrand, executive director of the Newport Historical Society. “Our collections and properties, including the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House, have long contained the artifacts of this critical chapter in our history. I invite all in our community to support this effort and join us in the pursuit of a better understanding of our shared past and how it informs our lives today.”
Senator Jack Reed, Charles Roberts, Rebecca Bertrand, Victoria Johnson, Doug Newhouse, Akeia de Barros Gomes. Photography by Jennifer Manville
Programming will be designed with the community and community-based organizations that have been essential in informing and enriching this work with Newport Historical Society.
“The experience of Black people in Newport–enslaved and free–is central to the history of Newport, yet our voices remain underrepresented. We must do more to make our stories, our people, and our contributions to this city more accessible, and this alliance is an important step forward,” said Victoria Johnson, a founding member of the Newport Middle Passage and Port Marker Project, and a partner and a driving force in this effort. “By supporting this effort and the critical partner organizations that have long been leaders in this space, the community has an opportunity to be a part of something very important in Newport.”
The Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House was built for Stephen Mumford, a merchant and a founding member of Newport’s Seventh Day Baptist congregation. It has been home to Loyalists, Revolutionary War soldiers, merchants, and generations of Newporters, including enslaved Africans Briston, Jenny, Casen, and Cardardo, who lived and labored in the home. As a center for Black history, this treasured property will find a new purpose and provide once more opportunities for the community to explore, learn, and connect.
“Newport is known to many as the City by the Sea, a summer playground for the nation’s wealthiest family dynasties, and a place to experience the glamour of the Gilded Age. You cannot understand that side of our history without also exploring the fundamental role of the Black and Indigenous people in the city’s foundation,” said Doug Newhouse, chair of the NHS Board of Directors. “On behalf of the Board, we are excited to see this campaign kick off and are proud of the vision and leadership of Rebecca and the NHS team in ensuring that we represent a more comprehensive and inclusive history in Newport.”
The NHS hopes to break ground on construction before 2025. Infrastructure improvements needed include a new HVAC system with humidity control, an ADA accessible entrance and lobby, functional restrooms, a new roof, and upgraded electrical systems, among other projects. The Voices Campaign also includes plans for a permanent program director position, building out a vision for public programming, and both fixed and rotating exhibitions on Black history.
To learn more about the Voices Campaign, visit www.voices.newporthistory.org.
About the Newport Historical Society
Founded in 1854, the Newport Historical Society is a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the rich history of Newport County. Our six treasured properties and extensive collections, featuring manuscripts, decorative arts, and photographs, span five centuries. We engage the community and make history more accessible through tours, educational programs, a museum, and a library. Join us in exploring and learning about our shared heritage, supported by a passionate team of historians and volunteers. Learn more at www.NewportHistory.org.