Portland, Maine: Black History Guided Walking Tour
Portland by the Foot
5.0
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Trace the steps of the Black Portlanders who moved our city, state, and country closer to the ideals of freedom, democracy, opportunity, and equality. Maine’s earliest settlements couldn’t have existed without Black labor, skill, and insight. You'll meet the Black Yankees who founded Maine communities, overturned slavery statewide, drove our maritime industries, gained political influence, crossed color boundaries, and expanded Mainers’ rights in the modern era. Stepping on granite cobblestones crooked with age — that once saw footfalls from national heroes like Frederick Douglass — you’ll pass storefronts once home to Black-owned barbershops where abolitionists whispered intelligence to Underground Railroad conductors. Enjoy 2 hours of entertaining and enlightening historical narration over a 1.5-mile route. Owner and guide, Dugan Murphy, dug through the archives to present an amazing constellation of stories left out of most tours. TripAdvisor named him Portland's #1 guide!
Departure Point
- Meet at the front steps of First Parish Church. Your guide will be holding a sign that says "Portland by the Foot." Check-in time is 10 minutes prior to the scheduled tour time. The church is one half mile from the cruise ship terminal.
Return Details
- Eastern Cemetery is on Congress Street at the head of Montgomery Street. If you want to get back to where we started, it's an easy, straight shot 0.5 miles (10-minute walk) down Congress Street. It's also 0.5 miles from the cruise ship terminal.
Duration
2 hours
Languages Available
- Human tour guide - English
Points of Interest
Stop At: Downtown
Portland, ME 04101
Your guide Dugan will lead you to the locations relevant to Black Mainers and their achievements. We'll trace the steps of the folks who resisted indignity and realized power to move our city, state, and country closer to the ideals of freedom, democracy, opportunity, and equality.
Duration: 50 minutes
Stop At: Lobsterman Park
1 Temple St, Portland, Maine
Discover the hidden Black history that predates slavery in Maine.
Duration: Not Available
Stop At: Congress Street
Portland, Maine
Be surprised by the story of a largely unknown but well-connected international activist from the 19th century hiding in plain sight.
Duration: Not Available
Stop At: The Cathedral Of The Immaculate Conception
307 Congress St, Portland, Maine
Hear the complicated history of racial passing at the highest levels in 19th-century Catholic Maine.
Duration: Not Available
Stop At: Commercial Street
Portland, Maine
Dugan will guide you to where Black leaders and laborers shaped Portland's waterfront and earned a seat at the table when the odds were against them.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Mariner's Church Banquet Center
368 Fore Street, Portland, ME 04101
Portland's maritime history may not be what you think it is. Discover the Black skill and labor too often overlooked.
Duration: Not Available
Stop At: United States Custom House
312 Fore Street, Portland, ME 04101
Marvel at the architecture and hear how antebellum Black Portland built and wielded political power at a time when the vast majority of Black Americans were denied suffrage.
Duration: Not Available
Stop At: Bell Buoy Park
54 Commercial St, Portland, Maine
Visit the Black social scene of WWII Portland and meet the important people who came out of that period to impact our lives today.
Duration: Not Available
Stop At: Old Port
Commercial St, Portland, Maine
Follow Dugan through the Old Port to a historically-Black section on the eastern end of the waterfront, uncovering Black history hidden all around us. You'll hear about the people who founded Maine communities, overturned slavery statewide, drove our maritime industries, swung elections, founded houses of worship, crossed color boundaries, and expanded Mainers’ rights in the modern era.
Duration: 50 minutes
Stop At: Exchange Street
Exchange Street, Portland, ME 04101
Learn the story of an enterprising Black man who forged his own destiny in spite of those who tried to hold him back.
Duration: Not Available
Stop At: India Street
India Street, Portland, ME 04101
Find the brave folks who risked federal prosecution by aiding and abetting freedom seekers from the South via the Underground Railroad.
Duration: Not Available
Stop At: The Abyssinian Meetinghouse
75 Newbury Street, Portland, ME 04101
Marvel at the achievements of a small, tight-knit community, who worked together to improve their lives and the lives of others.
Duration: Not Available
Stop At: Portland Observatory
138 Congress St, , Portland, Maine
Learn how important Black Portlanders were to the maritime economy in the age of sail.
Duration: Not Available
Stop At: Green Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church
46 Sheridan Street, Portland, ME 04101
Visit the beating heart of the civil rights movement and hear the stories of the leaders whose impacts are still being felt today.
Duration: Not Available
Additional Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Pets are not allowed on tours unless medically required.
- Portland is a hilly city. Participants will walk uphill sometimes, including a staircase of 17 steps.
- 10% off water tours with Portland Paddle (instructions at confirmation)
- Two hour fully narrated guided tour.
- Donation toward restoring the Abyssinian Meeting House, America's third-oldest standing Black church
Exclusions
- A tip for your guide!
Redemption Instructions
No need to print anything! Just tell Dugan your name when you arrive.
Voucher Info
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
The tour identified in this promotion is made available through Viator. Groupon is not affiliated with or sponsored by the Portland by the Foot in connection with this deal. Please contact Groupon customer service for all inquiries related to this offer. Inquiries placed to Viator will be directed back to Groupon.
This offer is not eligible for promo codes.
Need to know info
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services. Offer is not eligible for our promo codes or other discounts. Learn about Strike-Through Pricing and Savings