“Unite and Glide: Embracing Winter Joy for Black Families this MLK Weekend”

Kameron Stanton, in the center, along with his girlfriend Chevy Linear, to the right, both hailing from Chicago, observe as a server serves them beverages during the welcoming bash for a Black Travel Maine MLK weekend event at Allagash Brewing on Friday evening. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland 

After spending a day ice fishing close to Augusta, Kameron Stanton swayed to the rhythm and enjoyed craft beers at Allagash Brewing’s Cellars venue on Friday night, eagerly anticipating a weekend of skiing at Sunday River.

It was a classic Maine experience for the resident of the Chicago area, who remarked that he would “never, ever” have traveled to the Pine Tree State without some encouragement.

“I arrived here with an unfortunate stereotype of what I would find,” Stanton stated. “I didn’t even realize. I saw the ticket: Portland, Maine. Where is that?”

The 32-year-old was one of numerous Black travelers who journeyed to Maine from Texas, Florida, New York, and beyond for the extended weekend preceding Martin Luther King Jr. Day, braving the state’s harsh winter and its reputation as one of the whitest states in the nation.

The outing, arranged by Black Travel Maine, aimed to provide a warm introduction for individuals who might not have otherwise thought about vacationing in Vacationland. Lisa Jones, who established the company two years prior, shared that she relocated to the Portland area during the COVID-19 pandemic and was astonished to find out how much the state had to offer — and how little Black communities across the country appeared to know about it.

“I embarked on a mission to discover what other Black individuals knew about Maine,” Jones explained. She explored the state, sharing photos of herself and her daughter on social media. “People began responding, ‘You’re in Maine? And it’s safe?’”

“I realized there was a misleading narrative concerning Black individuals” about Maine, she remarked.

Jones noted that the tourism sector of the state, with its focus on outdoor adventures, has not been targeted toward visitors of color. Therefore, she created an itinerary that combined traditional Maine experiences with moments of contemplation about its Black community.

Lisa Jones, in the center, founder and owner of Black Travel Maine, interacts with guests on Friday night during the welcoming party at Allagash Brewing for an MLK weekend skiing. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald

The weekend featured a skiing day at Sunday River, the crucial L.L.Bean shopping excursion, and a walking tour revealing Portland’s Black historical sites.

Enjoying a drink from a small glass, Jennifer Tinch, 52, stated that she and her spouse, William Gunn, 54, “desired to experience Maine through a Black perspective.”

“We have never skied before, so we believed this would be an ideal opportunity and group to learn and experience Maine and skiing,” Tinch stated.

Tinch, a resident of Washington, D.C., mentioned that Maine “was not on my travel radar,” but she felt intrigued when she learned about the trip.

“I’ve always wanted to try a lobster roll,” Gunn said with a chuckle, adding that he found one immediately. “But I’m uncertain when I would have ever come up.”

ORIGINS OF A STORY

As the atmosphere in the brewery became lively on Friday night, those visiting from afar expressed their pleasant surprise at how exhilarating and hospitable Maine had been thus far.

There are numerous factors that may have historically deterred Black individuals from seeing Maine as an appealing travel spot, explained Brian Purnell, head of Bowdoin College’s Africana studies department. He pointed out that Maine is far from the country’s largest Black populations and holds a reputation for its whiteness, which might drive Black vacationers to seek alternatives when planning a getaway.

“If someone is going to pay out of pocket for a new experience … they will genuinely want to ensure that the entire experience is positive,” Purnell remarked. “Maine is Vacationland. Yet Black Americans have explored other vacationlands.

Purnell noted that individuals frequently seek travel advice from their friends and family, and Maine might simply not feature in those discussions within Black circles.

“We cannot ignore that a long history exists in which Black individuals were not universally welcomed across all areas of the country,” he stated. “And those who could vacation likely gravitated toward a select few destinations, where their offspring and grandchildren would also go.”

Transforming the perception of the state, and altering its reputation on a national level, is an inherently gradual endeavor, he asserted.

Purnell, who relocated to Maine approximately 15 years ago, added that the state — with its “from away” terminology — possesses a distinct culture regarding “who is and who isn’t” a Mainer, which can be intimidating for visitors of any racial background.

“I believe Black individuals in Maine possess insights that Black folks outside of Maine are unaware of,” Purnell stated. “I perceive Maine as a place of live-and-let-live.”

Local historian Bob Greene, from South Portland, receives an embrace from a companion during the welcoming gathering for the Black Travel Maine MLK weekend skiing excursion at Allagash Brewing on Friday evening. Greene mentions that the first Black individual known by name to arrive in Maine did so in 1608 when Mathieu da Costa journeyed as a translator for a group of French explorers. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald

Notwithstanding its status as one of the most predominantly white states in the country, Maine has an extensive and complex Black history, stated Bob Greene, a local historian and an eighth generation Black inhabitant of Cumberland County.

Greene noted that the first Black individual known by name arrived in Maine in 1608. His name was Mathieu da Costa, who traveled as a translator for a party of French explorers, Greene added.

“Black individuals have been present here, metaphorically speaking, for a considerable time,” Greene stated. “When discussing seaports in Maine, there have consistently been many Black individuals coming and going. This doesn’t imply that all of them remained, nor does it mean that Maine had a substantial Black populace.”

Currently, Black individuals comprise only about 2% of Maine’s population, according to the U.S. Census. Greene mentioned that the state experienced notable increases in Black immigration during the Civil War and World War II, lured by the promise of employment at shipyards; however, many newcomers departed once those positions disappeared.

Jones, the organizer of the trip, expressed that history serves as a significant attraction for many participants. She highlighted the state’s involvement as a site on the Underground Railroad, a final destination before Canadian freedom for formerly enslaved individuals.

“That (history) is the primary attraction, to be frank with you,” Jones remarked. “People often overlook the notion that the history of the South is also present in the North. They solely associate Black history with the South.”

RETURNING FOR MORE?

This weekend marked the second ski excursion for Black Travel Maine, and the group has also conducted a couple of summer events thus far, according to Jones. She aspires to establish the MLK weekend getaway as an annual event.

“I perceive immense opportunities for expansion,” in the offseason and beyond, she stated. “A significant number of individuals wish to visit Maine, and it extends beyond summer alone.”

Portland Councilor Regina Phillips, a native of Maine, expressed that the gathering — and the entire weekend — felt like a testament to Maine’s “vibrant” Black community. Phillips joined a select group of prominent Black Mainers, including Sen. Rachel Talbot Ross, D-Portland, as honored guests.

“We discuss the necessity for Maine to diversify, and Black Travel Maine is facilitating that,” Phillips remarked. “This merely emphasizes the reality that we are present.”

Phillips mingled with colleagues and long-time acquaintances. Just a few feet away, New York resident Gloria Lee engaged in similar conversations.

Lee mentioned that this weekend was her third trip with Black Travel Maine after attending both summer retreats. By now, she is beginning to recognize the familiar faces of fellow repeat attendees.

This time, however, Lee invited a few close friends to share in the experience of The Way Life Should Be.

“It’s just not a destination that comes to mind frequently; I seldom hear anything about it, nor do I observe any promotions,” Lee stated. “If it weren’t for this experience, I would never consider visiting Maine.”

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