Vote for the Bristol Middle Passage Port Marker Project’s Memorial

The Bristol Middle Passage Port Marker Project announced in last February’s edition of The Bay, that it had received approval from the Town Council for the placement of a memorial on a 12x12’ site in Bristol’s Independence Park. Since then, the board has been educating the public about the history of Bristol’s participation in the Triangle Trade of African and Indigenous peoples during the 17th and 18th centuries. The aim for this memorial is to be a site for education, reconciliation, and healing.  

The board recently executed a call for Rhode Island artists to submit design proposals for the memorial, which closed in August. Five independent jurists (four BIPOC representatives) were enlisted to select three finalists, each of whom received a $1,000 honorarium. These finalists were then charged with presenting an expanded proposal, complete with a budget for its fabrication and installation, as well as a three-dimensional model of their design. 

These three models are now on display during the month of December at the Rogers Free Library in Bristol. During this time, the Bristol Middle Passage Board is seeking input from the community to participate in the final selection process.  

The Bristol Middle Passage Board continues to solicit donations from the public, as well as apply for grants, to help cover the expenses associated with this project. The memorial will stand as a testimony to African and Indigenous peoples who were victims of this inhumane trade and who survived under the horrific conditions to help build Bristol and all of Rhode Island.  

To vote for one of the three models, visit the library and leave your comments, and visit BMPPMP.org to learn more about the installation.