As part of the Newburyport Black History Initiative, high-quality interpretive signs have been installed throughout downtown. This sign, “A Black Neighborhood in Historic Newburyport,” marks the location of “Guinea Village” and the railroad bridge over Low Street known as “Guinea Bridge.” (Photo Courtesy City of Newburyport)
NEWBURYPORT — Mayor Sean Reardon is pleased to share that the Newburyport Black History Initiative is the recipient of a 2024 Leadership in History Award of Excellence from The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH).
The AASLH is a national membership association dedicated to helping the history community thrive. The association provides crucial resources, guidance, professional development, advocacy, new publications, field-wide research, and a sense of connectedness to over 5,500 institutional and individual members.
This year, the AASLH conferred 47 national awards this year that honor people, projects, exhibits and publications. The AASLH Leadership in History Award is the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history in the United States.
“This is really exciting for the Newburyport Black History Initiative to receive recognition at the national level. I am hoping this award will help further expand the spotlight we are shining on forgotten history,” said Senior Project Manager Geordie Vining. “Thanks to the AASLH, as well as the support we have received from so many people.”
The Newburyport Black History Initiative (NBHI) aims to affirm Black history and belonging in the city of Newburyport by illuminating histories that have been largely overlooked or forgotten, and ensure that these stories are publicly accessible to a broad audience.
The core of the project is the installation of high-quality interpretive signs in the everyday public landscape of the city’s downtown. The panels feature the stories of Black Americans who lived and worked in Newburyport from the pre-Revolutionary War era to the early 20th century. The narratives feature ordinary people including domestic servants, mariners, barbers, soldiers, lawyers and activists.
In addition to interpretive signage, the project engages the public by a website, public events, indoor displays, lectures, tours, videos, articles, burial ground enhancements, and more.
The NBHI brings together the city’s planning department, historians, genealogists, writers, and educators with a core team consisting of: Dr. Kabria Baumgartner, Dean’s Associate Professor of History and Africana Studies/Associate Director of Public History at Northeastern University; Geordie Vining, Senior Project Manager for Newburyport’s Office of Planning and Development; and Cyd Raschke, Writer/Community Organizer.
“We are overjoyed to receive this national attention for this local initiative,” said Mayor Reardon. “I am very proud of the work that has been done by the Newburyport Black History Initiative to share stories that have been hidden for too long. To have the opportunity to amplify these voices to an even broader audience is a tremendous accomplishment.”
For more information about the NBHI, contact Geordie Vining, Senior Project Manager in Newburyport’s Planning Office, at (978) 465-4400 x6 or gvining@newburyportma.gov.
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