August 23rd is the Day of Remembrance that acknowledges the slave trade and its abolition. In Bristol, Rhode Island the event brought a gathering of people celebrating their common humanity with music of the Pokanoket Tribe drummers and stories by Len Cabral, a member of the Rhode Island Black Storytellers. Click here for a 3-minute video from the event. [Photos and video courtesy of Peter Dorfman.]

(Above) The gathering for Remembrance day at Independence Park, Bristol, is the site of the Bristol Middle Passage Memorial Sculpture.

(Above) The crowd listens to keynote speakers, Pokanoket Tribal Historian Don “Strong Turtle” Brown, Jr. and Storyteller Len Cabral.

(Above) The Pokanoket drummers complete their performance before event organizer and social activist Stephan Brigidi embraces Pokanoket Sagamore William “Winds of Thunder” Guy at the end of event.

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