A new center dedicated to Black history on Aquidneck Island will open on Juneteenth, and Middletown residents can get a preview later this month.
Dr. Akeia de Barros Gomes, director of the Edward W. Kane and Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History at the Newport Historical Society, will give a presentation titled “Recovering and Reclaiming Stories of Our Presence: Histories of African Descent on Aquidneck Island” on Thursday, Feb. 26, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Middletown Library.
De Barros Gomes, a Middletown resident and visiting scholar and adjunct lecturer at Brown University’s Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice, will discuss the creation of the center and share a preview of its exhibitions ahead of the Juneteenth grand opening.
The center is dedicated to recovering, preserving and sharing the histories of African-descended communities on Aquidneck Island.
The event is hosted by the Middletown Outreach Department in recognition of Black History Month. Seating is limited, and residents are encouraged to register in advance at mdl.town/EventBrite or call 401-871-5176 to reserve a seat.
