主要研究 今天

Archaeologists at the University of New Hampshire along with a historian at Northeastern University believe they have unearthed the long-lost homestead of King Pompey, an enslaved African who won his freedom and later became one of the first Black property owners in colonial New England.

“我们很激动。,梅根·豪伊说, professor of anthropology and director of the University of New Hampshire’s Center for the Humanities. “I’m extremely confident this is a foundation from the 1700s and everything that points to this being the home of King Pompey is very compelling.”

“King Pompey was an esteemed leader in the Black community but his home and property have always been a mystery,鲍姆加特纳说, dean’s associate professor of history and Africana studies at Northeastern University. “I spend a lot of time in archives looking at written materials so to be on site and see this revealed has been exciting.”  

The researchers from the two different universities collaborated and shared resources to dig deep and locate what they believe to be the homestead of Pompey Mansfield on the banks of the Saugus River, 260多年前他和他的妻子菲利斯(或者可能叫菲比)住在那里. 历史记载将他描绘成一位杰出的社区领袖，他购买了土地, built a stone house in Lynn and hosted free and enslaved Blacks from the region on “Black Election Day”.

也被称为"黑人选举日", it was one of the most important days in the colonial era for Black people in New England and was where Pompey was elected king on an annual basis. The event was documented as lively and joyful with dancing and singing based on their West African traditions. 就在同一天，白人投票选举他们的领导人. 当天的高潮是投票选举国王并为其加冕, 谁以后可以被要求处理黑人社区的重要事务. Similar celebrations took place throughout New England and the rest of the Americas, 包括新罕布什尔这样的州, 罗德岛和康涅狄格.

精确定位, 考古小组, which included archaeologist Alyssa Moreau and community historian Diane Fiske with 主要研究’s Great Bay Archaeological Survey, 花了几个月的时间查阅公共记录, 契约及家谱. They compared historical maps with contemporary LIDAR-derived topographic maps and cross-referenced them with probate records and historical newspapers to identify specific landmarks and narrow down the area.

在一条四英尺深的壕沟里, the team uncovered a foundation that was constructed of river rocks as described in the documentation. They had to dig through layers of several different eras of newer foundations covering the 1700s structure to reveal it. 在垃圾下面, 混凝土和灰浆, 研究小组发现了一层较小的, smooth stones from the nearby tidal river that had been chiseled and layered so they fit together. All point to something that someone with limited resources would have done at the time to build a home.

“最大的发现是没有采石场岩石的手工鹅卵石地基,豪伊说，“这显示了决心和聪明才智。. 然后是历史描述的令人信服的匹配, 河的弯道, 沼泽草甸, 橡树. 然而并不是所有的历史都被记录下来, 或者写对了, 说到人们留下的东西, 他们不编辑垃圾.”

“I've always been fascinated by those fleeting private and intimate moments outside of the watchful eye of an enslaver when Black people could be themselves and enjoy each other and be in community,鲍姆加特纳说. “It’s rare for me to get a chance to be on the site of a discovery and thanks to Meghan and her team’s archeological work we get a better sense of King Pompey’s world. 正如所描述的那样，宁静祥和.”

Researchers are hopeful to eventually work with the National Park Service to establish a historical marker about King Pompey and do more outreach and exhibits that share the story and the figures of Black Election Day.

Funding was provided by the New England Humanities Consortium (NEHC) and Northeastern University.