Most people know that Maine has deep roots. From Native American people to the settlers that came later, the state has many stories to tell. But, one piece of history that’s particularly important is that of Maine’s role in the Underground Railroad, which is often overlooked. The state has access to both rail and sea, making it a northern hub of the Underground Railroad in Maine. Activists in Portland worked to provide safe houses and hiding places for slaves, eventually helping them escape to England or Canada.

Portland’s Abyssinian Meeting House was built in 1828 to be a place of worship and was the cornerstone of all things social and political for the city’s African American community.
Abyssinian Meeting House / Facebook / via Maine Historical Society
When it was built, it was used as a church and a segregated public school. At other times, it was used for concerts, dinners and other entertainment for the community.
The church membership was comprised of former enslaved people, as well as those who worked to free them as leaders of the Underground Railroad movement.
Abyssinian Meeting House / Facebook
Those involved with the church used their voices for advocacy, speaking out against slavery.
Abyssinian Meeting House / Facebook

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Abolitionist, Frederick Douglass, was said to have spoken here!
George Kendall Warren / The National Archives and Records Administration, cataloged under the National Archives Identifier (NAID) 558770.
Today it is the third oldest standing African American meeting house in the United States.
Abyssinian Meeting House / Facebook
In 2013, the Abyssinian Meetinghouse was added to the National Trust’s Top Endangered List.
The building is undergoing major renovations right now, led by a dedicated group of community members.
Abyssinian Meeting House / Facebook
Nearly $1 Million is still needed to complete the renovation, which will ensure that it's open to the public on a regular basis for all to learn of the meeting house's significance to the African American community in Maine.
What can you do to help?
Abyssinian Meeting House / Facebook

The Abyssinian Meeting House is located at 73 Newbury Street in Portland.

If you’d like to help or learn more, check out the Portland Landmarks website.

You can also:

  • Go to an event to support the restoration work.
  • Take a trip on the Portland Freedom Trail then make your way to the Abyssinian Meeting House for a visit.
  • Sign up to be on the mailing list to learn about what the Committee to Restore the Abyssinian is doing today

 

While we all need to work to educate ourselves and others about the African American history in Portland, it’s inspiring to see so many people coming together to work on this particular part of that incredible history.

The story of Malaga Island is another must-read for those who want to understand some of Maine’s difficult history.

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