Black Americans have been shaping Maine’s culture since the late 1800s, according to historians leading the tour.
BANGOR, Maine — Maine is full of history. But one piece that often goes unrecognized is the role Black Americans and civil rights leaders played in building the state we know today.
A walking tour led by Black Travel Maine is bringing that history to life step by step through the streets of Bangor.
“Understand that we didn’t just parachute in yesterday,” historian Bob Greene said. “We’ve been here, and we’ve helped this state grow.”
Tour-goers walked some of the same paths once taken by the Black Matriarchs of Maine, a group of women who fought for women’s suffrage in the late 1800s.
“Anything they could help provide wasn’t just for themselves but the community as a whole,” family historian David Payne said.
“During a time when things were so hard for them, they still took the time to come together as a community to uplift and teach,” Lisa Jones, tour organizer and owner of Black Travel Maine, added.
The tour also recognized Gerald Talbot, Maine’s first Black legislator and former president of Portland’s NAACP chapter. For participants, hearing about these figures firsthand was powerful.
“It’s empowering for us to be able to see what they were able to overcome and do for themselves,” Payne said.
One key stop on the tour was the Columbia Street Baptist Church, a place where Black Mainers were allowed to gather in the early 1900s for community and connection.
“It allowed for them to just have that social acceptance,” Payne said.
For Traniessa Wright, who traveled from Boston to join the tour, it gave her the chance to appreciate a piece of Black history she had no clue about.
“As I’ve moved up the East Coast, I’ve learned more and more about my culture, which makes me really excited,” she said.
Jones said this walk isn’t just about remembering history, though; it’s about building on it.
“It’s important for us as Black people to teach that history to the generations to come,” she said.
The tour wrapped with a powerful message: Honor the past, uplift the present, and build a more inclusive future.
“We owe it to ourselves and all folks who are Americans to get to know the rich tapestry that makes us who we are,” Belfast resident Piet Lammert said.
“Remember the history—and be able to grow from that history,” Payne added.
Leaders with Black Travel Maine said their next event will be a Juneteenth Black history walking tour of Portland.
