The African American Heritage Trail of Martha’s Vineyard celebrated its newest site Friday with a dedication of an Oak Bluffs home steeped in Black history.
About 30 people gathered on the porch of 115 Seaview avenue to unveil a plaque commemorating the Dragonfly House. Dating back to the late 1870s, the home was owned by a staunch abolitionist before becoming a home known for accommodating Black visitors to the Island.
The African American Heritage Trail is a nonprofit that works document the overlooked contributions of African American people on the Island. The Dragonfly House is the 41st site on the trail.
“It’s exciting. We’re a part of a big community. We want to honor all of the stories,” Danroy Henry, who owns the house with his wife Angella, told the Gazette.
About 150 years ago, the home belonged to John Ritchie, an abolitionist and a white officer in the Union Army. Mr. Ritchie served as the diarist for the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, a Black regiment, and he recorded the deeds of the infantrymen on the front line at the Second Battle of Fort Wagner and throughout the Civil War.
The house later belonged to the Eastman family, who owned several properties in Oak Bluffs that they rented to other Black visitors. Dominique Simpson-Milton, a member of the Eastman family, told the crowd at Friday’s ceremony about how important it is to have welcoming spaces for the Black community. The Dragonfly House is believed to have been included in the Negro Motorist Green Book, which was a guidebook for Black travelers looking for safe accommodations.
“It is so fitting that we’re here celebrating Juneteenth as well, because there was a time when people of color were not free,” Ms. Simpson-Milton said. “When we were free…we still didn’t have safe spaces.”
She told the crowd that her grandparents came to the Island and fell in love with the place, which led them to turn the home into a bed and breakfast.
The Henrys purchased the house in 2017. They moved to the Vineyard after the death of their son, DJ. The couple runs a nonprofit called the DJ Henry Dream Fund, which helps children afford extracurriculars. They named the home the Dragonfly House because after touring the home, they were surrounded by dragon flies while sitting at the memorial bench dedicated to their son down the street.
Elaine Weintraub, who co-founded the African American Heritage Trail of Martha’s Vineyard with Carrie Tankard, said that the Henry family embodied the importance of community highlighted throughout the house’s history.
“It’s a house steeped in history, reverberating with the spirit and legacy of the search for justice. The ghosts who bravely challenged norms are here with us today, rejoicing in the spirit of giving and philanthropy, embodied by the Henry family, who are worthy stewards of the legacy,” she said. “We’re facing dangerous times that make the work of trailblazing even more relevant.”
Ms. Weintraub also spoke to the difficulty of running the heritage trail in the current political climate. She said that she recently received a list of words from the federal government that should not be used when applying for federal grants. The list included diversity, equity, inclusion and women.
“Our work goes on with renewed vigor and determination,” she said. “Every plaque we install, every tour that we take, is an education and an enlightenment. I believe that every story leads us forward towards the beloved community.”
Rev. Deborah Finley-Jackson led the group in prayer before the site’s plaque was revealed. It was unveiled by Amber Henry, Mr. Henry’s daughter, and Barbara Eastman. Ms. Eastman grew up spending the summers on the Vineyard at the house. She returned to the Island for the first time in almost a decade for the commemoration.
“Martha’s Vineyard should not be a place where we act strange to each other. It should be a place of love.” Ms. Eastman told the Gazette. “I love seeing people get together and realizing what they can do. It’s not something to brag about— it’s something to fulfilled about.”
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