They came as housekeepers, whalers and indentured servants in the 19th century: Black families who settled permanently on Martha鈥檚 Vineyard. Their hidden history is uncovered in a new book, 鈥淏lack Homeownership on Martha鈥檚 Vineyard: A History,鈥� by authors Thomas Dresser and Richard Taylor.
In the book, Dresser and Taylor trace the presence of Black Americans on the Vineyard back to pre-Revolutionary War, through the Underground Railroad and the Civil War, and into the 20th century and the Great Migration.
But some of the history detailed in the book was uncovered just in the last four years, including racist housing covenants in The Campground, the area known for the colorful 鈥済ingerbread鈥� houses in Oak Bluffs. Learning this history was a catalyst for Dresser and Taylor.
鈥淭here鈥檚 sort of a fable atmosphere about The Campground,鈥� Dresser said. 鈥淎nd to find out that nearly 30 families were basically evicted over the course of 15 years or so and then it was kept quiet for over a century 鈥� we said, 鈥榃e鈥檝e got to do something, we鈥檝e got to investigate, we鈥檝e got to understand this.鈥欌��
The book also includes histories of specific families, including the first Black whaling captain, the descendants of celebrated artist Lois Mailou Jones and novelist Dorothy West, the last writer of the Harlem Renaissance.
And as generations of Black families made their homes in Martha鈥檚 Vineyard, the island became a haven for Black people 鈥� a place where they could relax, take a dip in Inkwell Beach and enjoy island life.
鈥淲hen African-Americans get off that boat, there is a sense of belonging and of community,鈥� Taylor said. 鈥淲e are not visitors here. And that has been a lot to do with the fact there has been property ownership for all these generations.鈥�
Guests
- Thomas Dresser, author of several books on Martha鈥檚 Vineyard, former island tour guide and co-author of 鈥淏lack Homeownership on Martha鈥檚 Vineyard: A History.鈥�
- Richard Taylor, chairman of the Taylor-Smith Companies, founding director of the Center for Real Estate at Suffolk University, writer of the weekly Oak Bluffs Town column for the Vineyard Gazette newspaper and co-author of 鈥淏lack Homeownership on Martha鈥檚 Vineyard: A History.鈥�
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