To Do in RI: Stages of Freedom’ Laboring for Freedom African American exhibit – Slater Mill

Image, above: provided by Stages of Freedom (NPS/Horrocks)

Stages of Freedom’s newest exhibit, Laboring for Freedom: African Americans in the Blackstone River Valley, will debut this Friday, October 18th from 7 to 8pm at the Old Slater Mill, a National Historic Landmark, 67 Roosevelt Avenue in Pawtucket. Robb Dimmick and Ray Rickman will deliver remarks. No reservations are required to attend this free program, a collaborative exhibit of Stages of Freedom’s African American Museum of Rhode Island and the National Park Service.

This exhibit highlights the contributions of Black laborers from Providence to Worcester, with a focus on the early decades of industry up through the Civil War. From the workers who cut the roads that led to Slater Mill, to the self-emancipated fugitives who came to reside in small towns and growing cities, this exhibit covers stories of resilience from across the Valley.

Visitors will be able to view the exhibit Thursdays to Sundays from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM starting on Saturday, October 19, 2024. The exhibit will remain open through December 14, 2024.