Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1313980
B M & T ••• November/December 2020 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 39 CONNECTICUT The story of the Amistad, the Cuban schooner where the famous 1839 slave revolt took place off the Connecticut coast, is preserved and retold through several historical sites in the state. At the former site of the New Haven Jail, where the Africans aboard the slave ship awaited trial, stands the Amistad Memorial, created by African-American sculptor Ed Hamilton. New Haven also is the home berth of the Freedom Schooner Amistad, a recreation of the original ship that travels on educational missions. The Old State House in Hartford was the site of the first Amistad trial. Meeting attendees and other visitors can spend leisure time at one of Connecticut's coastal resorts, or perhaps see a show and try their luck at a casino. Along with the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, the Foxwoods Resort Casino, the MGM Grand in Springfield and the Mohegan Sun Casino contain the state's largest meeting accommodations DELAWARE From hanging out at Rehoboth Beach and other Atlantic coastal retreats to kayaking in the Delaware Bay, the First State offers a wide range of outdoor recreational attractions. Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes, for example, is a popular spot for biking, swimming and hiking. The Dover International Speedway, Fort Delaware State Park and the statewide Delaware Wine and Ale Trail are also among the area's main attractions. History buffs may want to visit Dover's First State Heritage Park or Wilmington's Kalmar Nyckel — a recreation of the ship on which Swedish settlers first came to the Delaware Valley in the 17th century — or tour one of the du Pont family's opulent estates in the scenic Brandywine Valley. While finding bargains at Delaware's tax-free retail outlets may not make visitors feel quite as rich as a du Pont, the shops are nevertheless one of the state's top tourist draws. MAINE Here's one for the "Did You Know?" files of a state not read- ily associated with Black history: The first African-American college graduate in the United States, John Brown Russworm, received his degree from Maine's Bowdoin College in 1826. Several notable Black heritage attractions make up Maine's Portland Freedom Trail — 13 sites with links to with the Underground Railroad and the Abolitionist Movement, includ- ing the nation's third oldest African-American church still standing. Nicknamed the Pine Tree State, Maine is renowned for its rugged natural beauty. Boasting 5,500 miles of coastland, the state is home to the largest fleet of windjammers in North America. Altogether Maine's state and national parks — of which Acadia National Park is the largest and best known — encompass more than 540,000 acres. Along with its natural scenery, Maine offers a unique man- made photo op: the world's largest 3-D model of the solar sys- tem, laid out over 40 miles between Houlton and Presque Isle. Hartford Connecticut Skyline Deleware Skyline photo credit: Elipongo Picturesque Maine resort setting