African American Resources for Maine

Online Resources

 * Maine Newspaper Project

History
The earliest African Americans in Maine were slaves. Slavery was infrequent in colonial Maine; slavery was outlawed after the American Revolution. Free blacks also settled in Maine during this time, arriving as seamen or working on ships along the waterfront. African Americans often worked on the waterfront, owned small businesses, worked on railroad, were teamsters or drivers, or worked in the service industry in the 1800s. Some blacks were also laborers, woodsmen, or firefighters. It is estimated that in 1850 more than half of working African American men in Maine worked in maritime-related trades. By the later 1800s, African Americans worked in a variety of other industries as well.

Newspapers
Maine is in the process of digitizing and making available online all of their historical newspapers (for more information go to www.maine.gov). Go to Maine Newspaper Project for a list of all the newspapers currently digitized and links to access them.

Birth

 * Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921 - information may include name, birth date and place, gender, race, no. of child, living or stillborn, and parents and their name, birthplace, race, residence, and occupation
 * Maine, Birth Records, 1715-1922 ($) - information may include name, birth date and place, gender, race, no. of child, living or stillborn, and parents and their name, birthplace, race, residence, and occupation

Marriage

 * Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921 - information may include the bride and groom’s name, residence, age, race, occupation, birthplace, number of marriage, marital status, and marriage date and place
 * Maine, Marriage Records, 1713-1922 ($) - information may include the bride and groom’s name, residence, age, race, occupation, birthplace, number of marriage, marital status, and marriage date and place

Death

 * Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921 - information may include name, death date and place, age, birthplace, gender, race, marital status, occupation, cause of death, place of burial, and parents and their birthplaces
 * Maine, Death Records, 1761-1922 ($) - information may include name, death date and place, age, birthplace, gender, race, marital status, occupation, cause of death, place of burial, and parents and their birthplaces