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“King Pompey’s Homestead Found” relates how a formerly enslaved man became a leader of the 18th century African American community in Lynn, Massachusetts. Meghan Howey, Professor of Anthropology at UNH, working with historian Kabria Baumgartner from Northeastern University, embarked on a research project to locate the home of “King” Pompey. Abducted from West Africa, he was sold to a family in Lynn where he lived until about 1780. Upon gaining his freedom in 1762 he worked as a clothier and bought land on the Saugus River for his family’s home. Members of the Black community would gather at his home on election days and while the white citizens elected their leaders, the Black community elected their own “King” with celebrations of feasting, singing and dancing. Such elections were widespread in Massachusetts and are still commemorated today. To find this site community historian Diane Fiske, a member of Howey’s research team, delved deeply into the historic record and along with historic and LiDAR maps she identified owners of potential sites. One of the owners led the team to a foundation which Howey surmised overlaid an earlier structure. Excavations revealed a river stone foundation whose location matched Pompey’s deed description. This research established an empirical link between this colonial era Black leader, celebrations of community pride and identity to modern day.
American Archaeology has allowed us to reprint the article in full from the winter 2024-25 edition , the quarterly publication of the Archaeological
Conservancy,
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