Portland Black History Walking Tour: Civil Rights Highlights

Walk granite streets where abolitionists planned freedom and forged Maine’s future

A two-hour guided walking tour through Portland's Black history led by Dugan Murphy, tracing 1.5 miles through the Old Port and waterfront to sites tied to abolitionists, maritime workers, and civil rights leaders. The tour uncovers stories deliberately left out of mainstream Portland history, from the Underground Railroad to WWII's Black social scene to the architects of political power in antebellum Maine. Your donation supports the Abyssinian Meeting House, America's third-oldest standing Black church.

Step-by-step itinerary

Black History Guided Walking Tour in Portland

• Meet guide Dugan Murphy
• Trace Black Mainers' achievements
• Discover pre-slavery Black history
• Learn about 19th-century international activist
• Hear racial passing history in Catholic Maine
• Explore Portland's waterfront Black leaders
• Discover Black maritime history
• Marvel at antebellum Black political power
• Visit WWII Black social scene
• Walk Old Port's historic Black section
• Learn about enterprising Black legal figure
• Find Underground Railroad freedom supporters
• Marvel at tight-knit Black community achievements
• Learn Black Portlanders' maritime economy role
• Visit civil rights movement heart
• Hear story of Black minister rewriting Constitution

The experience

Start at the meeting point in downtown Portland and walk the granite cobblestones of the Old Port alongside Dugan Murphy, who spent years in the archives pulling together stories that most tours skip. The route covers 1.5 miles over two hours, moving through neighborhoods and past storefronts where Black-owned barbershops once served as safe houses for Underground Railroad conductors and abolitionists. Portland is hilly (you'll climb a staircase of 17 steps at one point), but the pace is set for conversation and questions, and the walk stays accessible for most fitness levels.

The tour moves through layers of Black achievement that shaped Maine statewide. You'll stand where Frederick Douglass once walked, learn about the Black Yankees who founded Maine communities and overturned slavery across the state, and hear how Black skill and labor drove the maritime industries that built Portland's wealth. Murphy walks you through the complicated history of racial passing in 19th-century Catholic Maine, introduces you to an international activist from that era whose name was nearly lost, and explains how a small, tight-knit community worked together to gain political influence and cross color boundaries when most of America denied Black people basic rights.

The second half of the tour moves into the modern era: the beating heart of the civil rights movement in Portland, the WWII Black social scene and the leaders who emerged from it, and the stories of individuals who forged their own paths in law and community building despite deliberate obstacles. By the end, you've walked past the architecture Black Portlanders built and wielded, visited the historically Black section of the eastern waterfront, and heard the names and choices of people whose impact is still felt today. Your tour fee includes a donation toward restoring the Abyssinian Meeting House, and you'll also receive a 10% discount code for Portland Paddle water tours, sent to your confirmation email.

What’s included

• Two-hour fully narrated guided walking tour led by Dugan Murphy.
• 1.5-mile route through Portland's Old Port and waterfront.
• donation toward the Abyssinian Meeting House restoration.
• 10% discount code for Portland Paddle water tours (sent to confirmation email).

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday, Thursday, Friday and SundayDeparts at 14:00Last departure this season: 7 Nov

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (5 to 95 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Portland by the Foot

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want Portland's Black history told through primary sources and archives rather than the standard civic narrative: Dugan Murphy's research fills gaps that general tours skip.

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Top questions

Who was the international activist from the 19th century that most Portland tours leave out?

Dugan Murphy uncovers the story of a well-connected international activist from the 1800s who was hiding in plain sight in Portland. Someone whose work and influence crossed continents but whose name was nearly lost to local history. The specifics emerge during the walk itself, as part of the larger constellation of Black achievement Murphy has pulled from the archives.

How did Black Portlanders contribute to the maritime economy?

Black skill and labor were essential to Portland's maritime industries during the age of sail, yet this contribution is often overlooked in standard histories. The tour walks you through the waterfront and explains how Black workers and leaders shaped the economy that built the city's wealth and power.

What was the role of Portland's Black community in the Underground Railroad?

Black-owned barbershops in the Old Port served as safe houses where abolitionists whispered intelligence to Underground Railroad conductors helping freedom seekers escape the South. The tour visits these locations and tells the stories of the brave folks who risked federal prosecution by aiding and abetting people fleeing slavery.

Is the walk manageable if I'm not in great shape?

The tour covers 1.5 miles over two hours at a conversational pace, so it's suitable for most fitness levels. Portland is hilly and includes one staircase of 17 steps, so it's not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health. The route is wheelchair accessible, and you can bring a stroller or pram if needed. Service animals are welcome.

How do I get to the starting point without a car?

The tour starts in downtown Portland, where public transportation options are available nearby and all areas are wheelchair accessible. If you're staying in the city, you can reach the Old Port by bus or on foot depending on your hotel location.

What's included in the ticket price?

Your two-hour fully narrated guided tour with Dugan Murphy is included, along with a donation toward restoring the Abyssinian Meeting House, America's third-oldest standing Black church. You'll also receive a 10% discount code for Portland Paddle water tours, which arrives in your confirmation email.