About - Essex County Black Experience

Exploring the Rich and Diverse History of the Black Experience in Essex County

Black communities have been an integral part of public and private life in Essex County for centuries, but their contributions have not always been well documented or presented. With support from an African American Civil Rights Grant from the National Park Service, Essex Heritage is building on a resource guide created by Dr. Kabria Baumgartner and Dr. Elizabeth Duclos-Orsello titled, “The African American Experience in Essex County, Massachusetts: An Annotated Guide.” This current project expands on that work and serves to promote public awareness of the history of the Black Experience in the Essex National Heritage Area by sharing theme-based historic primary sources, providing access to existing websites related to our theme, and publicizing local events about Black heritage. We also provide specific resources related to two initiatives, our “Teaching Hidden Histories” educator workshops that support teachers in using local resources and stories related to Black history, and our March 2023 symposium, “Community of Changemakers: Exploring the History of Black Activism in Essex County.”

Local Events:

In addition to compiling this history, we also want to showcase community events centered around African Americans in Essex County. Visit our local events page to find a wide range of events that celebrate, promote, or educate about African American history and culture.

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Themes:

Resources on this website are divided into four themes: Resisting Enslavement, Post-Emancipation Perseverance, Education, and Community Spaces/Events, each of which highlights an important aspect of Black activism in Essex County. Through primary sources, historical context, and various projects, we explore the impact and importance of the Black experience in this community.

Explore the Themes

Timeline:

Our timeline showcases the rich history of Black activism throughout the last few centuries in Essex County, highlighting the significant contributions of African Americans to our community.

Explore the Timeline

Projects:

Our projects page includes links to larger resources across the county, including educational resources for classroom lessons, links to local historical sites, documents, and archival material.

Explore the Projects

Exploring the Rich and Diverse History of the Black Experience in Essex County

Local Events:

Themes:

Timeline:

Projects:

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