Wednesday, September 8, 2021, at 6:00 PM EDT (Tickets available here)
Online event sponsored Seaman’s Church Institute and NMPPMP
For centuries, Rhode Island sent its young men to sea. As agriculture and slavery slowly declined, hundreds left the rural towns, many of them formerly enslaved African American and Indigenous men. They sought out opportunities in shipping and whaling as cooks, first mates, oarsmen, and boatsteerers. They crossed the bay, the Atlantic, and the world in pursuit of a livelihood that had eluded them at home. What they found were South Sea islands, arctic icescapes, wondrous sea creatures, warring tribes, hardship, and occasionally, opportunities for stunning achievement.
Peter Fay is a public historian and board member of the Jamestown Historical Society. He researches, writes, and lectures about Rhode Island history. He also is currently helping develop a public memorial to recognize the role of Newport in the history of the slave trade.
