Rural Socrates Speaker Series:
“Exploring Hard Histories”
Join us for an enlightening evening at Vaughan Woods & Historic Homestead in recognition of Jamaican Emancipation Day on August 1st. This year, as part of our inaugural “Exploring Hard Histories” program, we reflect on the legacies of slavery in the West Indies, particularly through the lens of the Vaughan family’s involvement in the sugar trade.
On this date, we remember the 732 enslaved men, women, and children who toiled on the Vaughans’ Jamaican sugar plantations—many of whom perished before slavery was officially abolished in the British West Indies on August 1, 1834. This commemoration offers an opportunity to engage deeply with a chapter of history that often goes untold.
The Rural Socrates Speaker Series invites leading authors, historians, and scholars whose works resonate with the intellectual and cultural passions of Benjamin and Sarah Vaughan, as well as their descendants. Through these talks, we also aim to explore a variety of perspectives—literary, cultural, scientific, and philosophical—on the broader human experience and modern cultural interpretation of the past.
This year, we are honored to welcome Seth Goldstein, historian and Development Director at the South Portland Historical Society. Seth has dedicated years to researching the West Indies Trade, a complex and often overlooked system that saw Maine supplying essential goods—like salt cod, lumber, and draft animals—to feed and sustain enslaved Africans on West Indian plantations. These shipments were crucial for the production of luxury commodities such as sugar, rum, molasses, cocoa, and spices—goods that Maine consumers eagerly consumed.
During his talk, Seth will shed light on how this trade shaped Maine’s economy and urban landscape, particularly in Portland, where the architecture and urban design were deeply influenced by this exchange. He will also delve into the stark, inhumane conditions endured by enslaved Africans on plantations as they produced commodities that directly benefited the people of Maine.
In addition to the lecture, the Vaughan Homestead will be open for informal tours, providing a deeper connection to the Vaughans’ own history and involvement in the transatlantic trade. Tour highlights will include their Jamaican sugar plantations and their shipping business in Hallowell, which supplied the West Indies with essential goods. We’ll also touch on the Vaughans’ relatives, the Hallowells, who were prominent shipbuilders, merchants, and landowners along the Kennebec River in the 18th century.
The evening will be a blend of history, reflection, and community. Light refreshments will be provided, and guests will have the chance to engage with the museum and fellow attendees in an informal setting.
We invite you to join us in exploring these hard histories, honoring the past, and reflecting on the complex legacies of the transatlantic slave trade.
Where:
Vaughan Homestead, 2 Litchfield Road, Hallowell
When:
Friday, August 1
Schedule:
6:00: House & Exhibit Open (refreshments and self-guided tours w/interpreters throughout)
7:00: Talk by historian Seth Goldstein in Garden Pavilion
8:00/8:30: House & Exhibit Open remain open until 9/9:30 (reception/refreshments and self-guided tours w/interpreters throughout)
How:
Pre-registration is required. $15/person, includes light refreshments.
About The Speaker:
Seth Goldstein grew up on Cape Cod where he developed his passion for maritime history. He received his bachelor’s degree in European History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and his master’s degree in World History from Northeastern University. His research interests include the historic North Atlantic fishery, global piracy, New England shipwrecks and lighthouses, the whaling industry, and Maine’s connection to Atlantic World African enslavement. He has worked for Greater Portland Landmarks and the Portland Harbor Museum. Seth has taught at the University of New England, Southern Maine Community College, and the Maine College of Art and Design. He is currently the director of the South Portland Historical Society’s Cushing’s Point Museum and the Director of Development for the South Portland Historical Society.