Black, Indigenous and People of Color in Marblehead
Exploring and honoring the lives, contributions, and stories of BIPOC individuals throughout Marblehead's history— from the earliest indigenous inhabitants to the abolitionists, soldiers, and community members who shaped this town.
Land Acknowledgement
We recognize that this land was home to the Naumkeag band of the Massachusett/Pawtucket Tribes. For centuries this community moved through and lived upon this land. They followed the seasons, hunted, fished, raised families, grieved for their dead, nourished their living, shared the stories of their ancestors and considered themselves the caretakers of this area.
We ask you to join us in acknowledging the Massachusett/Pawtucket community, their elders both past and present, as well as future generations. Marblehead Museum also acknowledges that it was founded upon exclusions and erasures of many Indigenous peoples, including those on whose land this institution is located.
The Marblehead Museum is committed to beginning the process of working to dismantle the ongoing legacies of colonialism. The Marblehead Museum is also committed to incorporating the study and dissemination of this land's Native History into its mission.
Essential Resources
Start your exploration with these key tools and interactive experiences
BIPOC Database
Search our comprehensive database of Free and Enslaved People of Color who lived and worked in Marblehead through the 19th century.
Walking Tour Map
Download our self-guided walking tour highlighting locations and stories of BIPOC individuals throughout Marblehead's history.
Public Signage
Learn about our 2023 interpretive signs detailing individuals, events, and locations related to Marblehead's BIPOC history.
Historical Documents & Research
Deep dive into primary sources and scholarly research
Indigenous History
The First Inhabitants of Marblehead
Written by Town Historian Donald A. Doliber in 1999, this article provides an overview of the area's original Native inhabitants and the effect of European contact.
Read ArticleNative American Sites Map
Hand-drawn map by Donald A. Doliber showing Native American encampment, burial, and work areas in Marblehead based on extensive research.
View Map
Slavery & Colonial Era
1730 Curfew for Enslaved People
In 1730, the Selectmen voted to establish a 9pm curfew for enslaved Africans and "Indians" in Marblehead.
Learn More1788 Warning Out
In 1788, the Selectmen formed a committee to compile a list of "African and negro" inhabitants and warn them to depart the town.
Learn MoreShip Desire
Built in Marblehead in 1636, this 120-ton vessel is believed to be one of the earliest ships to bring enslaved Africans into the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Learn MoreNewspaper Notices: Sales & Runaways
Historical newspaper advertisements for the sale of enslaved people and notices seeking self-liberating individuals.
View NoticesNotable Individuals
Joseph & Lucretia Brown
Swathed in lore, the true story of "Black Joe" and "Aunt Creese" is just as fascinating as the mythology surrounding them.
Read StoryAgnes, Servant
A Black woman enslaved by Samuel Russell in the late 17th/early 18th century, buried at Old Burial Hill. Learn her story through student-produced video.
Learn MoreFrederick Douglass in Marblehead
Marblehead, once a hotbed of anti-slavery activity, hosted one of the most recognizable faces of the abolitionist movement.
Discover VisitThe Jubilee Singers Visit
Learn about the 9-member choral ensemble from Fisk University who performed in Marblehead as part of their groundbreaking tours.
Read MoreAbolition & Underground Railroad
Annotated Timeline
Fully annotated timeline designed for research use, documenting abolitionism and the Underground Railroad in Marblehead.
View TimelineHighlights Timeline
Illustrated timeline highlighting key events, suitable for classroom use and as a quick reference guide.
View HighlightsPrimary Source Records
Town Records
Access town records related to BIPOC residents, some available online at familysearch.org.
Explore RecordsVital Records & Tax Lists
Begin searching for individuals and identifying historical trends using vital records and tax documentation.
Search RecordsCensus Records & Populations
Use census data to search for individuals and analyze population trends over time.
View Census DataNotes on Slaves and Slavery
Transcriptions by Samuel Roads, Jr. of 18th century newspaper advertisements and notes on slavery in Massachusetts.
Read NotesVideo Presentations
The History of BIPOC in Marblehead
A two-part Zoom presentation by Ginny Von Rueden: "A Legacy of Slavery, Soldiers, Speakers, and Secret Agents." Sponsored by the Marblehead Museum and Abbot Library, January 2022.
Marblehead Racial Justice Team Videos
Educational videos produced as part of the Inclusive History Project, featuring stories of the Underground Railroad and notable individuals like James Fountaine.
Further Reading
Local Resources
Roads, Samuel Jr. The History and Traditions of Marblehead. The 1897 edition includes detailed appendices on people of color and native peoples.
Gamage, Virginia Clegg & Lord, Priscilla Sawyer. Marblehead: The Spirit of '76 Lives Here. Chilton Book Company, 1972.
Scholarly Works on New England BIPOC History
Adams, Catherine and Pleck, Elizabeth H. Love of Freedom: Black Women in Colonial and Revolutionary New England. Oxford University Press, 2010.
Hardesty, Jared Ross. Black Lives, Native Lands, White Worlds: A History of Slavery in New England. University of Massachusetts Press, 2019.
Warren, Wendy. New England Bound: Slavery and Colonization in Early America. W.W. Norton & Co., 2016.
Greene, Lorenzo J. The Negro in Colonial New England, 1620-1776. Columbia University Press, 1942. Reprinted Martino Fine Books, 2017.
Bolster, W. Jeffrey. Black Jacks: African American Seamen in the Age of Sail. Harvard University Press, 1998.
Melish, Joanne Pope. Disowning Slavery: Gradual Emancipation and "Race" in New England, 1780-1860. Cornell University Press, 1988.
Piersen, William D. Black Yankees: The Development of an Afro-American Subculture in Eighteenth-Century New England. University of Massachusetts Press, 1988.
Contribute to Our Research
Do you have information, documents, or family stories that could contribute to our understanding of BIPOC history in Marblehead? We welcome your contributions and collaboration.
Contact Us