07/16/2026
Crafting Colonial Newport Online, July 27, 2026
6-7:15pm ET with Mya Rose Bailey Mya Rose Bailey
-
The visual language of Newport, Rhode Island that emerged during its colonial era has made the city’s maritime legacy inseparable from its fine and decorative arts. Master craftsmen came to define Newport on a global scale with signature block-and-shell motifs, an extensive use of rich mahogany, and the notable undercut ball-and-claw design. However, what is still underrecognized within Newport’s highly appreciated history of craft is its dependence on exploited labor and deep connection to the transatlantic slave trade. The lives and labor of African, African American, and Indigenous men, women, and children are crucial to fully understanding the creation and success of Newport decorative arts. Through a close-looking of several coveted Newport objects and architectural accomplishments, we will explore how contemporary approaches to colonial histories can provide robust and reinvigorated truths.
-
Mya will talk about a number of objects from the Preservation Society Newport County’s collection, most of which are housed in Hunter House or are currently on display in the exhibition Revolution Reimagined in Rosecliff Mansion. She will address a handful of items owned by Newport Historical Society and their Wanton-Lymon-Hazard House property which has just opened as the Newport Center for Black History.
-
TFS is thankful for support from the Jenrette Foundation for a new series of online programs focused on preservation and conservation in furniture. This series will share knowledge from historic sites, collections, and makers’ legacies with a national audience.
-
