Newport Daily News – Aug. 24, 2018
Sign of Remembrance
Newport Mayor Harry Winthrop and Victoria Johnson, chairwoman of the Newport Middle Passage Port Marker Committee, unveiled a sign at the future site of the Newport Slave Trade Memorial in Liberty Square, Farewell and Marlborough streets.
At left are City Council members Lynne Underwood Ceglie, Susan Taylor and Marco Camacho. The planned historical monument will honor and memorialize Africans who lost their lives on slave ships as well as the survivors and their descendants. The local project is part of a national effort to research and identify all 48 port sites in the present United States that were ports of entry for Africans during the 300-plus years of the trans-Atlantic human trade. Local communities have been encouraged to hold remembrance ceremonies at each port and place some type of marker. City officials, community leaders, committee members and many others gathered Thursday to commemorate the future site of the Newport Slave Trade Memorial in Liberty Square.
[PETER SILVIA PHOTOS] – (Courtesy of Newport Daily News, Copyright ©2018 GateHouse Media Inc.)
I spoke to someone today about this “memorial” and you know truly it hits hard. Simply for the fact I’m not sure you are truly seeing it from their eyes. Racism has been such a major issue for the entire world and still in 2022 we have the same issues. Of course Newport just has to be back in the spotlight of something and thinking that indeed they have done something good. Unfortunately I feel this should have had a meeting on to vote on this type of thing happening to our city. This was a statement a good friend of mine made and it’s true…so instead of feeling as you are doing something how about you TRULY MAKE A CHANGE. Take it down….
S.Jones-
why aren’t they pushing for the fact that it’s 2022 and the rights of those enslaved are still not equal… push for equality and moving forward instead of glorifying a part of something so disgusting. If they want to do that then they need to be honest about their Newport mansion ‘servants tours’, indentured servitude, slavery, and acknowledge the fact that reparations in monetary or even educational form would help bridge the gal tremendously. I think they’re continually missing the mark when it comes to ‘race issues’ it’s not only a Newport problem it’s a worldwide problem.
Now truly if that doesn’t open your eyes to really what we should be teaching and learning and showing. Than I’m truly sorry for living in this messed up world and truly sick of raising my kids in a world where there’s never any change. When you’re born you are completely a innocent soul. If racism still exists within them then that’s where the child learns it from. BE BETTER & DO BETTER. We truly are stronger TOGETHER. Let’s finally make a true CHANGE.