Three exceptional Mainers and their families helped shape the state and the nation as we know it today.
Black History Month
Portland honors memory of city’s first Black elected office holder
Clifford ‘Kippy’ Richardson was a well-respected businessman who in 1971 became the first Black person elected to municipal office in Portland, serving on both the school board and City Council.
Black History Month: Schools were segregated in the North, too
The battles of the civil rights era were also fought outside the Jim Crow South.
Commentary: Martin Luther King Jr.’s challenge to liberal allies – and why it resonates today
King understood the perils of allowing overt white supremacy to overshadow submerged racism.
Black History Month: Gerald Talbot, Maine’s first Black lawmaker
During his three House terms, Talbot championed migrant worker rights, Indian tribal sovereignty, fair housing and creating a holiday to honor King.
Superintendent’s Notebook: On diversity, Brunswick can lead the way
Every February since 1976, American presidents have designated February as Black History Month in recognition of the achievements of African Americans and to celebrate their role in our country’s history. I cannot think of a time when this has been more poignant. I believe we are at a crossroads in our country – we can […]
Leonard Pitts: I’ve got your backs, brothers and sisters, and I know you’ve got mine
I feel a bond with other Black people not only in the wake of tragedy but also in our joys and achievements.
Mainewhile: People of color owed debt of gratitude
Welcome February, the month we set aside to celebrate, among other things, Black history. This is the month that posters go up with quotes from Martin Luther King Jr., units are taught about Frederick Douglass and conversations are had about the remarkable Harriet Tubman. With good cause. Legal slavery is, historically speaking, still recent. What’s […]