This view from aboard the schooner Mary E on the Kennebec River in Bath would have been familiar to Captain Zina Lewis and other Black sailors who worked on the waters of Lincoln County in the 18th and 19th centuries. Korinne Tanzer photo
Lincoln County Historical Association is hosting an online lecture presented by Korrine Tanzer about Black sailors of the 18th and 19th centuries. The lecture, titled “Good Grit: Black Sailors of Lincoln County,” is at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 14.
Korrine Tanzer. Courtesy photo
Tanzer, a blogger who focuses on maritime, Maine and queer history, will discuss a few of the many Black sailors — free and enslaved — who worked the waters of the Kennebec or spent time at sea, helping shape Lincoln County’s past. Tanzer will introduce early enslaved men who were forced to sea by their enslavers and free men like Zina Lewis, who made a name for himself as a very successful Black captain on the Kennebec River. Tanzer tells of the determination and grit of men whose stories have been hidden but who left an important mark on Maine’s rich maritime tradition.
The lecture is open to the public and free, but pre-registration is required. Visit lincolncountyhistory.org to register. A suggested donation of $5 will help support LCHA’s ongoing history programming.
Tanzer is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in History at Arizona State University. As an active volunteer for Lincoln County Historical Association, Tanzer serves on its board of trustees as well as the Wiscasset Old Jail Stewardship Committee, and conducts research into the lives of inmates held at the Old Jail in the 19th century.
Lincoln County Historical Association is a nonprofit organization that provides stewardship for the 1754 Chapman-Hall House in Damariscotta, the 1761 Pownalborough Court House in Dresden and the 1811 Old Jail and Museum in Wiscasset.
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