Sunday Talks: Archivist Kate McBrien on eviction of Malaga Island

The story of Maine’s Malaga Island and the state’s decision in 1912 to get rid of its black and mixed-race fishing community is a dark chapter in history. The incident, in which state officials evicted all the islands non-white residents “for the good of the state and the cause of humanity,” has been told in numerous books and magazine articles. Including This Other Eden, which was shortlisted for numerous awards in 2023 including the Booker Prize and the National Book Award.

But those accounts haven’t always gotten the facts right, according to Maine State Archivist Kate McBrien. She’s been researching the history of Malaga Island for 20 years and on Sunday, July 28, at 2 p.m. will be presenting the information and photos she’s gathered at a free program at the Eastport Arts Center.

“Many of the pieces have simply perpetuated the myths about the people of Malaga that people have been trying to dispel for years,” McBrien said. The Sunday afternoon talk will cover what really happened in the mass expulsion of the only totally black community in Maine at the time.

The descendants of many of the displaced residents have even been shocked by the history, as families refused to talk about it due to embarrassment, McBrien said. “The state provided them no place to go and paid only a small amount of money to some and nothing to most.”

The talk on Malaga is part of a series of Sunday talks that will be offered with free admission at Eastport Arts Center through October. Donations will be gratefully accepted, and will be used to help sustain programs like these.

Eastport Arts Center is at 36 Washington Street, Eastport, and at www.eastportartscenter.org, and is handicapped-accessible.