Black History Month: "Newport Gilded Age in Color" virtual lecture by Keith Stokes with Newport Art Museum
The Newport Art Museum is pleased to welcome back Keith Stokes of the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society for Newport Gilded Age In Color.
This talk focuses on the persons and families that lived, worked, and worshipped in 19th and early 20th century Newport during the Gilded Age sharing cultural, social, educational, political, and personal discourse with fellow families of color and means.
Presenting biographies of many of the most interesting men and women along with artifacts and primary source documents that illustrate the African heritage social, religious, and political life during that era, Stokes will explore the untold and sometimes mis-told stories of life in the historic city by the sea. These include images of people taking part in civic events, bike riding along Bellevue Avenue, bathing at Easton’s Beach, fishing on Cliff Walk, and meeting in some of America’s earliest African heritage tennis and literary clubs.
The lecture will also reconstruct the significant African heritage neighborhoods in Newport with historic names including Top of the Hill, Historic Hill, and West Broadway.
Note: Image courtesy of The Rhode Island Black Heritage Society.