As the legend goes, Mingo Beach is named after an enslaved Black man who was offered his freedom if he could navigate his way to a rocky outcropping near the water. His name was Robin Mingo.
, a researcher at Endicott College is working to unearth Mingo's little-known story — one of few standing remembrances of people who endured slavery in the state, compared to the many that celebrate white historical figures.Elizabeth Matelski is an associate history professor at Endicott, which surrounds Mingo Beach and two other beaches. She said it's unclear if Mingo ever successfully traversed the hazardous path out to the ledge.
Matelski first learned about Mingo and the beach from fellow Endicott professor Sam Alexander. He often passed the beach while growing up in Beverly, but never realized what it was named or why. "The Woodburys, who were the enslavers of Robin Mingo, have a street named after them not far from where I grew up," he said."When I learned that the Woodburys were slave owners, that was a surprise to me."
"By not engaging with the history, by not dealing with it, it creates somewhat of a historical amnesia," Singleton said."The histories are not actually hidden. They're in front of us. We just haven't been paying attention."The Royall House is one such example. Built in the 18th century, it housed the Royall family, the largest slaveholding family in Massachusetts. Their lavish lifestyle was made possible by the 27 people they once enslaved.
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