Voices of Portland

The Voices of Portland project began as a series of oral history recordings focused on the stories of Black Americans living and working in Portland, CT.

Transcripts of these recordings and projects from 2023-2025 have been transformed into a book that is available to check out at the library and are available for purchase now!
If you signed up to purchase a softcover copy of Voices of Portland, Volume 1: Celebrating Portland's Black History, we will reach out to you. If you haven't signed up and are interested, please fill out this form.

The softcover books are $30 per copy and proceeds will benefit the Portland Historical Society to support the Voices of Portland project.

Voices of Portland:

The Fight for Freedom and Equality from 1776 to 2026

A Black History Month Event

Saturday February 21, 2026

Snow date: Sunday February 22, 2026

Waverly Senior Center,

7 Waverly Ave, Portland CT

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Speakers from:

Middlesex County NAACP

Alex Breanne Corporation

Wesleyan University / Middlesex County Historical Society

Portland High School

Light Refreshments following the presentation.

Questions: PortlandSolidarity@gmail.com

Voices of Portland

The Portland Historical Society, the town Committee on Solidarity, and the Portland Public Library produced a series of Oral History recordings focused on the stories of Black Americans living and working in Portland, CT. These included a "Gallery of Portland" Black History Month panel event in 2024, an interview recorded in late 2024, and a follow up panel presentation in February 2025 for Black History month which included a “memory recording booth” where attendees were invited to share memories inspired by the presentation.

Our goal was to look to expand upon the 2024 presentation through the use of storytelling and experiences, and to celebrate the diverse voices that contribute to the fabric of our town.

Join us in recognizing the past and inspiring future generations to appreciate the legacy of Portland, CT.

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This project was supported by funding through Connecticut Humanities (CTH), an independent, non-profit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. CTH connects people to the humanities through grants, partnerships, and collaborative programs. CTH projects, administration, and program development are supported by state and federal matching funds, community foundations, and gifts from private sources. Learn more by visiting cthumanities.org.