By: Ryan Belmore, Whats Up Newport
November 21, 2024
Native Newport scholar and curator to spearhead development of center at Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House, funded by philanthropic gift.
The Newport Historical Society has named Dr. Akeia de Barros Gomes as the director of its new center for Black History, set to open at the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House. The appointment marks a significant step in the organization’s efforts to highlight Newport’s diverse historical narrative.
de Barros Gomes, a Newport native with a background in anthropology and African American history, brings extensive experience to the role. She most recently served as the vice president for the American Institute for Maritime Studies at Mystic Seaport Museum.
“There is no one better suited to lead this critical work than Akeia, a longtime friend and supporter of the Newport Historical Society and an accomplished curator with an acute appreciation of Newport’s history and how the stories of the Black community must be better represented and shared,” said Rebecca Bertrand, Executive Director of Newport Historical Society. “With Akeia’s expertise on board, the Voices capital campaign underway, and construction about to begin, momentum for this important project continues to grow.”
The new center, partially funded by a leadership gift from philanthropists Edward W. Kane and Martha J. Wallace, aims to provide a dedicated space for exploring and presenting Black history in Newport.
de Barros Gomes’ appointment comes as the Historical Society’s Voices capital campaign gains momentum. Construction on the center is set to begin soon, with de Barros Gomes at the helm of its development.
“Community support for a center for Black history has been overwhelming, and the fact that we have engaged someone as talented and experienced as Akeia is a testament to the importance and potential of this work,” said Doug Newhouse, chair of the NHS Board of Directors. “Akeia is deeply committed to the mission of the NHS and the vision for this center, and we are eager to see her leave her mark on the project.”
In her new role, de Barros Gomes will be responsible for shaping the center’s public programming, managing community partnerships, and curating both fixed and rotating exhibitions on Black history.
“Newport is my home. Its rich and dynamic history has always been a source of curiosity and inspiration for me, both personally and professionally. To be able to center my research and leverage my passion for education, programming, and community engagement all around this topic of such great importance to me and to this city is an opportunity I could not pass up,” said de Barros Gomes.
de Barros Gomes is no stranger to the Newport Historical Society. She previously served on the organization’s board of directors for four years and acted as a guest curator for an exhibition on Black Life in Early Newport at the Museum of Newport History in the Brick Market.
Her involvement extends to the Voices from the NHS Archives project, where she served as a key advisor. This initiative focuses on digitizing and improving access to thousands of records on Black and Indigenous history.
Victoria Johnson, a founding member of the Newport Middle Passage and Port Marker Project, expresses confidence in de Barros Gomes’ appointment.
“As a partner in this project and someone who knows Akeia well and deeply respects her scholarship, I am thrilled to see her joining the NHS. I am confident that Akeia will help drive this work forward in a way that fosters meaningful collaboration and creates space for important conversations in our community,” said Johnson.
de Barros Gomes holds a PhD in anthropology from the University of Connecticut, with a dissertation focusing on the free African American cultural landscape in Newport. She currently serves as an adjunct lecturer at the Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice at Brown University, a position she will maintain alongside her new role.
Her previous experience includes four years as a curator of social history at the New Bedford Whaling Museum and an assistant professorship at Wheelock College. She currently serves on the board of directors for Connecticut Humanities.
The appointment of de Barros Gomes to lead the new center for Black History represents a significant step in the Newport Historical Society’s ongoing efforts to present a more comprehensive and inclusive narrative of the city’s past.
For more information on the Voices campaign to create a center for Black history, interested parties can visit Voices.NewportHistory.org.
Read the story online here: https://whatsupnewp.com/2024/11/newport-historical-society-appoints-dr-akeia-de-barros-gomes-to-lead-new-center-for-black-history/