Edward W. Kane & Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Friday, June 19th, 2026 Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House | 17 Broadway, Newport 10am to 11am | Free Public Event Join the Newport Historical Society for a ribbon cutting ceremony  to celebrate the opening of the Edward W. Kane & Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History on Ju......More

Friday, June 19th, 2026 Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House | 17 Broadway, Newport 10am to 11am | Free Public Event Join the Newport Historical Society for a ribbon cutting ceremony  to celebrate the opening of the Edward W. Kane & Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History on Juneteenth!  The ribbon cutting ceremony is one of many events celebrating the opening of the Center throughout the weekend of Juneteenth. For the full list of opening weekend events visit the Center for Black History website at NewportBlackHistory.org

Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House, 17 Broadway, Newport, 02840, United States

"Soul Value" Performance & Family Day at the Edward W. Kane & Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History

Saturday, June 20, 2026 Edward W. Kane & Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History | 17 Broadway, Newport Free Admission with the discount code: CBH26 Soul ValuePerformances: 11am, 12pm, 1pm A duet, performed by April H. Brown and Jessica T. Pearson, brings to life the......More

Saturday, June 20, 2026 Edward W. Kane & Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History | 17 Broadway, Newport Free Admission with the discount code: CBH26 Soul ValuePerformances: 11am, 12pm, 1pm A duet, performed by April H. Brown and Jessica T. Pearson, brings to life the stories of New England Black women—Elleanor Eldridge, Elizabeth Freemen, and Margaret Kinnicutt—and the men of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment during and after the American Revolutionary War. Through a dynamic blend of monologue, dance, ritual, and song, Soul Value highlights the untold contributions of Black men and women in New England history, focusing on their advocacy, resilience, and survival. This project is supported in part by a grant from the Rhode Island Semiquincentennial Commission (RI250). Performing Artists: April H. Brown“For April, arts practice is the way we speak life into humanity.” April H. Brown is an educator, ordained minister, poet, singer, actor, and nationally recognized nonprofit leader whose work bridges the arts, education, and social justice. Based in Providence, Rhode Island, April brings over 25 years of experience in community development, cultural leadership, and educational equity. She also serves as Co-Director of the Langston Hughes Community Poetry Reading Committee, that amplifies Black literary voices through civic poetry gatherings. April holds a Bachelor of Arts from American University and a Master of Education from the University of Rhode Island. She has worked in a wide array of professional and cultural settings, including with the Smithsonian Institution’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and the National Museum of American History, where she helped produce landmark public events such as the National World War II Reunion and the Folklife Festival. Locally, she has collaborated with Rhode Island Black Storytellers, the National Association of Black Storytellers, and served as the African Marketplace Director. Recently, April served as a Commissioner on the City of Providence’s Special Committee forCommemorative Works, where she helped to shape inclusive public memory and civicrepresentation. Her leadership was instrumental across numerous initiatives involvingenvironmental justice, youth empowerment, arts education, and volunteer engagement.     Jessica Pearson Jessica T. Pearson is a Professor of Dance at Rhode Island College. Ms. Pearson is a dancer, educator and choreographer who danced with the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Gesel Mason and Concepts In Motion (Bermuda). As an educator of modern dance, ballet, and dance wellness, she has been invited to teach at Ballet West Summer Intensive, Brown University, Providence College, Urbanity Summer Intensive, University of Kentucky Lexington, Ballet Rhode Island, and overseas. Her choreography has been selected to perform at Boston Contemporary Dance Festival, Southern Vermont Dance Festival, and Collective Thread (NY). Urbanity Next, Utah Regional Ballet, Rhode Island College, Salve Regina University, University of Kentucky Lexington, University of Utah, and Providence College have commissioned choreography by Ms. Pearson. Ms. Pearson is currently training in Afro-Brazilian movement with Maestra Isaura Oliveira and Power of Skirts in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She was a principal dancer in Hocus Pocus 2 and recently joined SAG-AFTRA. Prior to Rhode Island College, she was a Post MFA Fellow at the University of Utah. She received her MFA in Dance from the University of Colorado Boulder where she studied dance pedagogy and choreography and BFA in Dance from Towson University in Towson, Maryland. With a subspecialty in dance wellness, she has been trained in Progressive Ballet Technique and Sugarfoot Therapy.     Reserve your tickets at NewportBlackHistory.org/visit-us/ or by clicking the button below! Book now!

Edward W. Kane & Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History, 17 Broadway, Newport, RI, 02840

The Opening Celebration of the Edward W. Kane & Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History

Saturday, June 20th, 2026 6pm to 8pm Great Friends Meeting House | 21 Farewell Street, Newport Cocktail Party & Conversation Event Join us for the opening celebration of the Edward W. Kane & Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History at the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House, a ......More

Saturday, June 20th, 2026 6pm to 8pm Great Friends Meeting House | 21 Farewell Street, Newport Cocktail Party & Conversation Event Join us for the opening celebration of the Edward W. Kane & Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History at the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House, a landmark addition to Newport’s cultural landscape. We invite you to an evening of cocktails and conversation, highlighted by a keynote address from internationally renowned author and advocate Heather McGhee. Heather designs and promotes solutions to inequality in America. Over her career in public policy, Heather has crafted legislation, testified before Congress and helped shape presidential campaign platforms. Her book The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together spent 10 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and was longlisted for the National Book Award and Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction. Set against the historic backdrop of the Great Friends Meeting House, this evening honors the stories that shape us and the visionaries who preserve them. VIP tickets at $500 + include a tour of the Center meeting at 17 Broadway at 5 PM. Honoring Mrs. Victoria Johnson & Mrs. Pauline Perkins-Moye Host Committee: Holly Bannister & Douglas Newhouse, Nancy Brickley, Akeia de Barros Gomes, Dorienne Farzan, Harriet Harris, Elizabeth Leatherman, Angela Lima, Veronica Mays, Sandi Peterson, Ellen Pinnock, Leila Ray   Ticket levels and pricing are as follows: Friend Ticket $175 – General Admission for the Cocktail Party and Keynote.Advocate Ticket $500 – General Admission for the Cocktail Party and Keynote, One 5pm ticket for an exclusive tour of the Center for Black History, and a signed copy of Heather McGhee’s book Sum of Us, and VIP parking.Champion Ticket $1,000 – General Admission for the Cocktail Party and Keynote, Two 5pm tickets for an exclusive tour of the Center for Black History, a signed copy of Heather McGhee’s book Sum of Us, and VIP parking.Patron Ticket $2,500 – Reserved seating for the Cocktail Party and Keynote, Four 5pm tickets for an exclusive tour of the Center for Black History, a signed copy of Heather McGhee’s book Sum of Us, and VIP parking. Supporter Ticket $5,000 – Reserved seating for the Cocktail Party and Keynote, Six 5pm tickets for an exclusive tour of the Center for Black History, a signed copy of Heather McGhee’s book Sum of Us, and VIP parking.Tickets are required for entry to this event. Purchase tickets below: Book now!

Great Friends Meeting House, 21 Farewell St, Newport, RI, 02840, United States

Community Blessing & Celebration: Interfaith Service at the Edward W. Kane & Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History

Sunday, June 21st | 1:00pm Free Public Event* *Guests who wish to explore the Center before or after the service will need to purchase an admission ticket. Join us for an interfaith celebration in partnership with representatives from the Narragansett Nation, Mt. Zion ......More

Sunday, June 21st | 1:00pm Free Public Event* *Guests who wish to explore the Center before or after the service will need to purchase an admission ticket. Join us for an interfaith celebration in partnership with representatives from the Narragansett Nation, Mt. Zion AME, Trinity Church, Temple Shalom, St. Peter’s Lutheran, Channing Memorial, and more. This special event welcomes the community to come together in reflection, connection, and shared fellowship. Reserve tickets to visit the Center by clicking the button below. Book now!

Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House, 17 Broadway, Newport, 02840, United States

"The Wreck of the Mentor: A True Story of Death, Despair, and Deliverance in the Age of Sail" with author Eric Jay Dolin

Tuesday, June 30th, 2026 The Colony House | Washington Square, Newport Admission $15 – $20 per person | *Student Discounts now available $10 with valid student ID 6pm to 7pm doors open at 5pm for a complimentary reception From the best–selling author of Black Flags, Blu......More

Tuesday, June 30th, 2026 The Colony House | Washington Square, Newport Admission $15 – $20 per person | *Student Discounts now available $10 with valid student ID 6pm to 7pm doors open at 5pm for a complimentary reception From the best–selling author of Black Flags, Blue Waters comes the story of the American whaleship Mentor, wrecked in 1832 on a remote reef in the western Pacific. With supplies dwindling, the eleven surviving crewmen face not only the miseries of shipwreck in unfamiliar territory but also the profound uncertainty of contact with the Indigenous people of the Micronesian archipelago of Palau, who within days approach the deserted men brandishing axes, clubs, and spears.In this gripping saga of cultural collision, tribal wars, and dashed hopes, award–winning historian Eric Jay Dolin vividly reconstructs the Mentor’s doomed voyage, the years of perilous captivity, and the delicate negotiations and fraught naval rescue mission that followed. Illustrated by more than 100 images and maps, The Wreck of the Mentor is at once a powerful story of survival and a revealing window into the great Age of Sail a time when maritime ambition collided with local sovereignty, and when the outcome of one voyage rippled across oceans and empires. Book now!

The Colony House, Washington Sqaure, Newport

Independence Day Open House

Saturday, July 4th, 2026 Independence Day ALL DAY   ⭐ Featured Event: Colony House Open House – 9:00am-11:00am ⭐ The Newport Historical Society is pleased to announce that on Saturday, July 4th the Colony House will once again be open to the public, continuing a years l......More

Saturday, July 4th, 2026 Independence Day ALL DAY   ⭐ Featured Event: Colony House Open House – 9:00am-11:00am ⭐ The Newport Historical Society is pleased to announce that on Saturday, July 4th the Colony House will once again be open to the public, continuing a years long tradition. Join us & the Rhode Island Society of the Sons of the American Revolution for a celebration of our country’s independence, featuring: 9:00 AM: A Ceremony by the Aquidneck Island Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution at the grave site of Willam Ellery, Newport signer of the Declaration of Independence. Wreath laying and musket firing by the Artillery Company of Newport Common Burying Ground on Farewell Street. 9:00 AM: Opening of the Colony House for inspection from 9:00 – 11:00 AM. The Colony House will open the first and second floors to explore.   10:00 AM: A Patriotic Band Concert by the Newport Community Band, Eisenhower Park in Washington Square. Bring a chair and enjoy the music. 11:00 AM: Recreation of the first Rhode Island reading of the Declaration of Independence from the steps of the Colony House by Roy Lauth, President of the Rhode Island Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. 11:30 AM: Concert of traditional Colonial music by the Pawtuxet Rangers fife line in Eisenhower Park. 12:00 PM: Twenty-one gun salute to the Nation by the Artillery Company of Newport using cannons cast by Paul Revere. Bells will ring from the Colony House and churches throughout the City of Newport.  Cannons will fire from Fort Adams and other locations throughout the city. ⭐ Featured Event: Fourth of July Fireworks at Fort Adams ⭐ Celebrate America’s 250th at Fort Adams State Park with an unforgettable evening of live music, family fun, and the best view of Newport’s spectacular harbor fireworks.Event Details:Saturday, July 4Gates Open: 6:00 PMLive Music: 6:30 – 9:00 PMFireworks ~ 9:15 PM For more information about Independence Week events visit DiscoverNewport.org/250th

Colony House, Washington Square, Newport, RI, 02840, United States

Independence Week: Veterans Appreciation Day

Sunday, July 5th, 2026 Veterans Appreciation Day ALL DAY   ⭐ Featured Event: Navy Band Concert – 6:00 PM ⭐ Join the Newport Historical Society, Fort Adams Trust, and Newport VFW Post 406 in honoring veterans with a day filled with activities and special events. Particip......More

Sunday, July 5th, 2026 Veterans Appreciation Day ALL DAY   ⭐ Featured Event: Navy Band Concert – 6:00 PM ⭐ Join the Newport Historical Society, Fort Adams Trust, and Newport VFW Post 406 in honoring veterans with a day filled with activities and special events. Participating institutions across Newport will offer discounts and special programming for active-duty and retired military personnel.Activities will take place both at Fort Adams and at various partner locations throughout the city.Picnic at Fort AdamsSpend a summer day at Fort Adams with a relaxed, bring-your-own picnic. Pack your favorite food, grab a blanket or chairs, and enjoy waterfront views, open green space, and fresh ocean air. Whether you’re meeting friends or just looking for a peaceful spot to unwind, the Fort is the perfect place to picnic. Grounds open at 9:00 AM. The day concludes with a special performance by the Navy Band Northeast Trident Brass Quintet at Fort Adams State Park starting at 6:00 PM—a fitting tribute to close out the celebration.   Free or Discounted Admission for Active/Retired Military on 7/5 Newport Artillery Company Museum | 10am-2pm  Newport Historical Society | All Offerings Free with Discount Code VETERAN* *code will become active at 12:00 AM on July 5th* Fort Adams Trust | All Offerings Free with Discount Code JULY5Vet Newport Restoration Foundation | Free Admission to Rough Point & Vernon House Preservation Society of Newport County | Free Admission to The Elms, Marble House, and Rosecliff. Please note that this offer excludes The Breakers Tours and the Elms Servant Life specialty tour. Redwood Library | 1pm-5pm Newport Art Museum | 11am-4pm Thank you to the members of the Newport 250 Committee for making this possible.   For more information about Independence Week events visit DiscoverNewport.org/250th

Independence Week: Family Appreciation Day

Monday, July 6th, 2026 Family Appreciation Day   ALL DAY   ⭐ Featured Event: Colony House Kids Tour – 1:00 PM ⭐ Participating institutions across Newport will offer discounts and special programming including crafts and tours designed for kids & families.  Free or Disco......More

Monday, July 6th, 2026 Family Appreciation Day   ALL DAY   ⭐ Featured Event: Colony House Kids Tour – 1:00 PM ⭐ Participating institutions across Newport will offer discounts and special programming including crafts and tours designed for kids & families.  Free or Discounted Admission for Kids Under 12 on 7/6 Newport Historical Society | All Offerings Free for Kids with Discount Code FAMILY* *code will become active at 12:00 AM on July 6th* Fort Adams Trust | All Offerings Free with Discount Code JULY6KIDS Newport Restoration Foundation | Free Admission to Rough Point & Vernon House Preservation Society of Newport County | Free Admission to The Elms, Marble House, and Rosecliff. Please note that this offer excludes The Breakers Tours and the Elms Servant Life specialty tour. Redwood Library | 11am-4pm Newport Art Museum | 11am-4pm   Thank you to the members of the Newport 250 Committee for making this possible. For more information about Independence Week events visit DiscoverNewport.org/250th

Independence Week: Religious Freedom Day

Tuesday, July 7th, 2026 Religious Freedom Day   ALL DAY   ⭐ Featured Event: Houses of Worship Open to the Public 10:00 AM-4:00 PM⭐ Celebrate Newport’s rich tradition of religious diversity and explore historic houses of worship throughout the city. Participating Newport......More

Tuesday, July 7th, 2026 Religious Freedom Day   ALL DAY   ⭐ Featured Event: Houses of Worship Open to the Public 10:00 AM-4:00 PM⭐ Celebrate Newport’s rich tradition of religious diversity and explore historic houses of worship throughout the city. Participating Newport houses of worship will be open to the public for tours from 10am-4pm. See list & map below for addresses – all participating locations will have a lawn sign with the “Independence Week in Newport” logo set outside as well.   Open Houses 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Seventh Day Baptist Meeting House | 82 Touro Street Great Friends Meeting House | 21 Farewell Street  Trinity Church | 1 Queen Anne Square  St. Mary’s Church | 12 William Street Mt. Zion AME | 101 Van Zandt Avenue Loeb Visitors’ Center | 52 Spring Street St. John the Evangelist | 61 Poplar Street Emmanuel Church | 42 Dearborn Street St. Peter’s Lutheran | 525 Broadway St. Paul’s United Methodist | 12 Marlborough Street                             Thank you to the members of the Newport 250 Committee for making this possible.   For more information about Independence Week events visit DiscoverNewport.org/250th

Independence Week: Ink & Independence Day

Wednesday, July 8th, 2026 Ink & Independence Day ALL DAY   ⭐ Featured Event: Viewing of the Declaration of Independence ⭐ 10:00 AM-12:00 PM  Richard. I Burnham Resource Center   Join us in Newport County for a special viewing of the Declaration of Independence from the ......More

Wednesday, July 8th, 2026 Ink & Independence Day ALL DAY   ⭐ Featured Event: Viewing of the Declaration of Independence ⭐ 10:00 AM-12:00 PM  Richard. I Burnham Resource Center   Join us in Newport County for a special viewing of the Declaration of Independence from the Rhode Island State Archives, as part of a county-wide tour and Rhode Island’s ongoing commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. This rare archival document offers an opportunity to engage directly with Rhode Island’s revolutionary history and the broader story of how the ideals of independence were communicated and preserved for the public. The Rhode Island State Archives continues to safeguard these foundational records, ensuring that future generations can access and learn from the documents that shaped our nation. This program will include the opportunity to view this rare document and speak with content experts about its significance in Rhode Island’s and the nation’s history.   ⭐ Featured Event: Printing Press Demonstration 1:00 PM ⭐ Richard. I Burnham Resource Center Advance RSVPs Recommended Before the Declaration could inspire a nation, it had to be printed. This talk examines the crucial work of Rhode Island printer Solomon Southwick, printer of the Newport Mercury.  Southwick,  who set the type and printed the first copies of the Broadside in Rhode Island that carried the message of independence to the people of Rhode Island. Learn how the Common Press operated, how type was set by hand, and how speed and accuracy mattered in a moment of revolution. This program brings to life the physical craft behind one of history’s most powerful documents. Guests will have the opportunity to operate a simple printing press and print their own copy of the Declaration of Independence!   Gary Gregory, The Printing Office of Edes & Gill Gary Gregory is a historical interpreter, printer, and founder of The Printing Office of Edes & Gill, where he brings the craft and culture of 18th-century printing to life for modern audiences. Specializing in the work of colonial Boston printers, Gary interprets the vital role print shops played in shaping public opinion and spreading revolutionary ideas in the years surrounding the American Revolution. Gary regularly presents to school groups, tourists, and history enthusiasts, offering engaging, hands-on experiences that connect audiences to the people, tools, and ideas that fueled the Revolutionary era. His programs emphasize the intersection of print, politics, and public discourse, illustrating how the printed word helped ignite a movement and define a nation.   For more information about Independence Week events visit DiscoverNewport.org/250th

Independence Week: Colonial Cemetery Tours

Thursday, July 9th, 2026 Colonial Cemeteries Day   ALL DAY   Explore local history  and experience these meaningful landscapes of remembrance through engaging stories & interpretative materials.   ⭐ Featured Event: Clifton Burying Ground Tour – 9:00 AM ⭐ Newport Histori......More

Thursday, July 9th, 2026 Colonial Cemeteries Day   ALL DAY   Explore local history  and experience these meaningful landscapes of remembrance through engaging stories & interpretative materials.   ⭐ Featured Event: Clifton Burying Ground Tour – 9:00 AM ⭐ Newport Historical Society – Bert Lippincott Free Public Event | Advance Registration Recommended | RSVP Immerse yourself in Newport’s history and explore the Clifton Burying Ground, one of Newport’s earliest and most storied burial sites. Discover the legacies of prominent colonial figures, including members of the Clarke and Wanton families, alongside generations of Quakers who shaped the city’s beginnings. As you wander this compact yet remarkable landscape, take in the richly carved gravestones and uncover the evolving history of a site that has been carefully preserved from centuries of change. This tour will meet outside the Newport Public Library & lasts approximately 45-60 mins.  ⭐ Featured Event: Arnold Burying Ground Tour – 10:00 AM ⭐ Preservation Society of Newport County – Lewis Keen Free Public Event | Advance Registration Required | RSVP Nestled in the heart of Newport is a family burial ground with a remarkable story. The final resting place for members of Governor Benedict Arnold’s family was obliterated and later restored thanks to the efforts of Alice Brayton of Green Animals. The tour will share the story of the site and some of the family members, and take a close look at remarkable Colonial gravestones. Many Americans know the name Benedict Arnold. The tour will explain his relationship to this site. We will meet in front of 75 Pelham Street. Parking is available in the neighborhood, and the tour will be about an hour long.   ⭐ Featured Event: Common Burying Ground Tour – 2:00 PM ⭐ Newport Historical Society – Bert Lippincott Free Public Event | Advance Registration Recommended | with code CEMETERY* *code will become active at 12:00am on July 9th* Step back in time as you explore one of Newport’s oldest cemeteries. Unearth fascinating stories of the people from all walks of life who shaped the city’s history and marvel at the artistry of the stone carvers who memorialized them. This tour will meet at the Colony House & lasts approximately 75-90 mins.  Self-Guided Cemetery Tours Visit https://rihistoriccemeteries.org/ for a more complete list of historic RI cemeteries by town    Fort Adams Cemetery | 90 Fort Adams Drive God’s Little Acre | Farewell Street Island Cemetery | Warner Street Old City (North) Cemetery | Braman Cemetery | Farewell Street Coddington/Governors’ Burying Ground | Farewell Street Colonial Jewish Burying Ground | Kay Street & Touro Street John Clarke Burying Ground | Dr. Marcus Wheatland Blvd & Callender Ave Trinity Churchyard | Spring Street Coggeshall Burying Ground | Coggeshall Ave & Victoria Ave Friends Burial Ground | Tilden Street & Feke Street Judge Anthony Wilbur Lot | Wilbur Ave Thank you to the members of the Newport 250 Committee for making this possible. For more information about Independence Week events visit DiscoverNewport.org/250th