Portland Black History Walking Tour

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!

Meeting Point

423 Congress St

423 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101, USA

Meet at the church steps. 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.

What's included:

• 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

Not included:

• A tip for your guide!

What to expect:

Duration: 2 hours

Old Port

Commercial St, Portland, 04101, Maine

We'll walk through Portland's Old Port and a historically-Black section of the East End neighborhood, uncovering Black history hidden all around us. *Highlights include:* First Parish Church, Lobsterman Park, Exchange Street, Mariner’s Church, US Custom House, India Street, Abyssinian Meeting House, Green Memorial AMEZ Church, Portland Observatory, Eastern Cemetery, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

2 hours