Keywords: African-American
Item 29278
Unidentified man, Lewiston, ca. 1900
Who? When? Help!
Contributed by: Maine Historical Society Date: circa 1900 Media: Photographic print
Item 12363
Chapel of Our Savior, Brunswick, ca. 1940
Contributed by: Pejepscot History Center Date: circa 1940 Location: Brunswick Media: Photograph, print
Item 65229
73-75 Newbury Street, Portland, 1924
Owner in 1924: David Finkelman Use: Apartments
Exhibit
A Convenient Soldier: The Black Guards of Maine
The Black Guards were African American Army soldiers, members of the segregated Second Battalion of the 366th Infantry sent to guard the railways of Maine during World War II, from 1941 to 1945. The purpose of the Black Guards' deployment to Maine was to prevent terrorist attacks along the railways, and to keep Maine citizens safe during the war.
Exhibit
Black soldiers served in Maine during World War II, assigned in small numbers throughout the state to guard Grand Trunk rail lines from a possible German attack. The soldiers, who lived in railroad cars near their posts often interacted with local residents.
Site Page
"Lee, Maureen Elgersman, Blck Bangor: African Americans in a Maine Community, 1880-1950, 2005, University Press of New England, Hanover, N.H."
Site Page
Malaga Island: a story best left untold - Maine State documents and Proclamations
"Maine State documents and Proclamations After the production of Malaga Island: A Story Best Left Untold in 2009 and up to 2012, three apologies by…"
Story
I have thought about Vietnam almost every day for 48 years
by Ted Heselton
Working as a heavy equipment operator in Vietnam
Story
Dancing through barriers
by Garrett Stewart
My Dad performed on the Dave Astor Show in Portland during the civil rights era.
Lesson Plan
Black History and the History of Slavery in Maine
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12, Postsecondary
Content Area: Social Studies
This lesson presents an overview of the history of the Black community in Maine and the U.S., including Black people who were enslaved in Maine, Maine’s connections to slavery and the slave trade, a look into the racism and discrimination many Black people in Maine have experienced, and highlights selected histories of Black people, demonstrating the longevity of their experiences and contributions to the community and culture in Maine.
