NEWBURYPORT — The Newburyport Black History Initiative has reason to celebrate this summer after being selected to receive a 2024 Leadership in History Award of Excellence from the American Association for State and Local History.
“They’re sort of gold standard for public history throughout the United States,” Senior Project Manager Geordie Vining said. “Having them shine a particular spotlight on Newburyport and on this project is a real honor.”
Currently in its 79th year, the Leadership in History Award of Excellence program recognizes people, projects, exhibits, as well as publications across the nation, that provide leadership for the future of state and local history, according to a press release.
A total of 47 awards will be handed out by the association during the nonprofit organization’s September conference in Mobile, Ala.
Vining added the Leadership in History Award of Excellence program is the one of the most prestigious recognitions in the country for the preservation and interpretation of state and local history.
“I will be (at the conference), accepting this award on behalf of the city and the Newburyport Black History Initiative,” he said.
Funded by the city’s Community Preservation Committee, the Black History Initiative is dedicated to highlighting the city’s Black history through lectures, panel discussions, workshops and historic interpretive signs.
Vining is joined by Northeastern University Professor Kabria Baumgartner, as well as writer and community organizer Cyd Raschke, in making up the core of the Black History Initiative.
“We’re sort of the primary folks involved with it,” Vining said. “There’s also a number of other folks, genealogists and such, who have volunteered their time and energy to help push this forward.”
In February, the Black History Initiative dedicated its “Pictures with Purpose: 19th Century Studio Photograph Empowered Black Americans” interpretive sign at the Inn Street pedestrian mall.
The sign tells the story of photography studios on State and Pleasant streets in the 19th and early 20th centuries that captured glass-plate images of white, Black and Asian Americans of all ages.
Another sign dedicated to Black city activists in the 18th and 19th centuries titled, “Grant Us Our Liberty” was unveiled in Brown Square last December.
Taking home a Leadership in History Award of Excellence, Vining said , can help spread the word about the city’s Black History Initiative, as well as its mission.
“We have five interpretive signs in the ground and will have a total of 11,” Vining said. “We’re in various stages on those, but they will be installed over the rest of the summer and in the fall.”
The Black History Initiative, according to Vining, received letters of recommendation to the American Association for State and Local History from Tufts University Associate History Professor Kerri Greenage, as well as Black Heritage Trail in New Hampshire Senior Grant Writer and Program Developer Barbara Ward.
“(Greenage) wrote a powerful recommendation letter about the project, which I think was critical to getting this award,” he said. “Similarly, (Ward) also wrote a recommendation letter about the Black History Initiative and its positive impact on the community. So, we’ve had a lot of support from, not only people in the community, but from around the region for what we’re doing.”
Neither Greenage, nor Ward could be reached by phone Friday.
Mayor Sean Reardon said in press release the city is “overjoyed” to receive this national attention.
“I am very proud of the work that has been done by the Newburyport Black History Initiative to share stories that have been hidden for too long,” he said. “To have the opportunity to amplify these voices to an even broader audience is a tremendous accomplishment.”
Vining said he has been receiving congratulations from dozens of people in the community for the Black History Initiative’s recognition.
“It’s been very gratifying to hear,” he said. “Overall, I feel people are grateful for what the project is doing.”