A sign reading “The future site of the Town-approved memorial honoring the African and Native peoples who were enslaved by the trans-Atlantic human trade in which the Town of Bristol played a historic role” was unveiled on February 25, 2023. Click here for a 13-minute video of the event by Michael Simpson.

A group of about 40 people gathered on a freezing cold Saturday morning to hear Bernard Freamon and Stephan Brigidi from the Bristol Middle Passage Port Marker Project welcome them to the event at Independence Park on the Bristol Waterfront.

Pokanoket Sachem Tracey Dancing Star Brown reminded people of the importance of the land to the Tribe who have inhabited this area for over 10,000 years before she helped unveil the sign. Many members of the Pokanoket Tribe were enslaved by the early settlers.

Bristol Town Councilman Tim Sweeney and Victoria Johnson from the Newport Middle Passage Project helped to unveil the sign marking the future location of a permanent memorial that will be created and placed in front of the hedges in the Park.