Newport in Newport County, Rhode Island — The American Northeast (New England)
Six of the First
"Six of the First" pays tribute to six women trafficked to Newport County in 1743: Yallah, Morandah, Mowoorie, Simboh, Burrah, and Yearie. Their names can be traced to Temne tribes of present-day Sierra Leone. The upper portion of the work depicts the women's names along with their appraised value.
The lower portion of the composition is based on an 18th-century engraving of the flight of Mary of Modena, eponym of Jamestown, RI. This piece substitutes the carved helmets of the Sowei for the original figures' faces as a visual representation of the six women listed above. The Sowei were matriarchs of the Sande Society, an inter-tribal association that includes Temne, Mende, and Vai members.
The artwork was composed by multidisciplinary artist Jean-Marc Superville Sovak.
Erected 2024 by Newport Historical Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Colonial Era • Industry & Commerce •
this page online
Location. 41° 29.35′ N, 71° 18.703′ W. Marker is in Newport, Rhode Island, in Newport County. It is on Touro Street just west of School Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 82 Touro St, Newport RI 02840, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay. It is also in the American Northeast and in New England. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Touro Synagogue (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Touro Synagogue (within shouting distance of this marker); Gideon Cornell House (within shouting distance of this marker); Mawdsley/Turner House (within shouting distance of this marker); St. Joseph's Cemetery (within shouting distance of this marker);
Credits. This page was last revised on July 15, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 15, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 250 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 15, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
