In A Newport Minute | 1786-1795

This video is the 2nd in our series, In A Newport Minute, created by the Newport Historical Society as part of Newport’s contribution to America Turns 250. Each installment highlights a moment in American history within a ten‑year span, beginning in 1776 and continuing to the present day.

Across these 25 short videos, we’ll explore how Newport grew, adapted, and evolved alongside the nation—sometimes in step with national events, sometimes in its own unique way. Our goal is to bring local history to life and show how our community’s story fits into the larger American narrative.

We invite you to follow along every two weeks as we share new chapters in Newport’s past.

Overview

This video chronicles the lives of three Black Revolutionary War veterans—John Reed, Salem Colby, and Scipio Page—who became part of Newport, New Hampshire’s postwar Black community near Coit Mountain. It summarizes their military service, land ownership, movements after the war, and the limited official recognition of Black military contributions in New Hampshire records.

The video also cites research sources and local heritage materials, highlighting Lynn Clark and Rebecca Courser’s archival work, contemporary references, and images connected to Coit Mountain and regional historical interpretation. It underscores gaps in documentation while pointing to further reading and visual resources for public history.

This video and others in the series can be viewed using the link below:

Key Words:

Newport, Black, American Revolution, veterans, John Reed, Salem Colby, Scipio Page, Coit Mountain, New Hampshire, military service, land ownership, slavery, freedom, militia, property taxes, Croydon, Goffstown, Canterbury, Dunbarton, pension, black community, historical society, archives, cellar holes, settlement

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