Dr. Akeia de Barros Gomes is speaking on Feb. 26 at 6:30 pm from the #MiddletownRI Public Library. Join the Middletown High School Class of 1993 graduate and renown scholar for this important conversation sponsored by the Outreach Department.
(Photo By Meri Keller)
CHANGING PERSPECTIVES
MIDDLETOWN, RI (FEBRUARY 11, 2026) – Growing up in Middletown as a person of color was a soul-searching experience for Dr. Akeia de Barros Gomes.
Looking around Kennedy, Gaudet and Middletown High schools, she said there usually weren’t many people in class who looked like her.
Not that her youth and childhood here were bad, but sometimes challenging, de Barros Gomes said, even with the support of family, friends and educators.
Now the Director of the Edward J. Kane and Martha J. Wallace Center For Black History at the Newport Historical Society, de Barros Gomes will speak about the importance of African and Indigenous populations to the history of Aquidneck Island.
Her Feb. 26 talk — titled Recovering and Reclaiming Stories of Our Presence: Histories of African Descent on Aquidneck Island — will begin at 6:30 pm from the Middletown Public Library. For more details about the event coordinated by the Middletown Outreach Department, visit https://mdl.town/EventBrite online.
“It was really difficult for me trying to find myself and where I fit as one of a handful of people of color in the entire school,” said de Barros Gomes, who also serves as a Visiting Scholar and Adjunct Lecturer at the Brown University Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice.
“But, I feel like people of color in the school were a source of support and friendship for each other. In ways I didn't recognize so much at the time, we really did help each other navigate that experience. Some teachers, like (English Teacher) Ms. (Helen) Bagley, were really aware of how difficult it could be. She'd often ask me to stay after class just to check in with me, particularly around issues of race.”
As part of a family with more than 100 years of deep roots on Aquidneck Island, de Barros Gomes lived in Navy Housing off Greene Lane before moving near First and Second beaches.
A graduate of Middletown High Class of 1993, de Barros Gomes said she loved music, playing bass guitar, the jazz band and drama club.
During her time in Middletown schools, de Barros Gomes credited several teachers for their compassion and understanding.
“My guidance counselor was Mrs. (Jo Eva) Gaines. She really kept me on my toes,” de Barros Gomes said. “She made sure I filled out my college applications and scholarship applications. She, Ms. Bagley, and (Mathematics Teacher) Mr. (Joseph) Ciullo showed me a lot of kindness and support and taught me that I could do the things I thought were beyond my reach.”
De Barros Gomes went onto receive her Bachelor of Arts in anthropology/archaeology at Salve Regina University and her Master’s and PhD in anthropology/archaeology at the University of Connecticut.
When she was younger, de Barros Gomes said she dreamed of becoming an archeologist like Indiana Jones, the globetrotting superhero made famous by actor Harrison Ford. But as she grew older, her goals evolved.
“[T]he more I traveled and worked with Black and Indigenous communities around the world, the more I wanted to engage in storytelling that tells our stories from our perspectives,” de Barros Gomes said. “So, I went from a college professor to museum work, so that I could do my work beyond the classroom and work directly with communities.
“My ‘piece of paper’ (PhD) gives me access to a lot of people and institutions and so I can be a vessel for sharing community voices and knowledge without presuming to tell stories for them or about them. I'd like to think my work has always been collaborative and not extractive. I like to work with communities so their histories and experiences come from their voices.”
De Barros Gomes also leads the development and implementation of the Center for Black History at the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House in Newport, which will open as an exhibition space, educational and community programming space and a space for scholarship this year.
She was lead curator for the 2024 Mystic Seaport Museum exhibition, Entwined: Freedom, Sovereignty and the Sea and served as the William E. Cook Vice President of the American Institute for Maritime Studies in Connecticut.
Between 2008-2017, Akeia taught as professor of American Studies and Professor of Psychology and Human Development at Wheelock College in Boston.
Through those experiences, de Barros Gomes said she’s developed a deep appreciation for the commonalities among all of us, regardless of background, location and other attributes.
“Even though we sometimes feel separate, we are part of the wider world,” de Barros Gomes said. “It is amazing to engage in the wider world and discover the ways we are all the same and to learn about, appreciate and embrace our differences.
“It helps us understand our own histories and where we come from in a grander context. I have lived and worked in different parts of the United States, but also in the West Indies, Central America and West Africa. Engaging in the wider world helps us act with empathy and compassion toward people that are not only across the globe, but the people we interact with every day.”
Without giving away too much, de Barros Gomes said she planned on speaking about her current work and how it relates close to home.
“I will talk about the inspiration for the Edward W. Kane and Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History and the work we're doing with the community and scholars in the Center,” de Barros Gomes said.
“I will also talk about our Voices Database Project at Newport Historical Society, which is documenting and telling stories of Black and Indigenous people in Newport county from the earliest of our records and dispelling the myth that there weren't people of color throughout Aquidneck Island and that Indigenous people are no longer here. It's a good model for towns and historical societies that want to do similar work.”
As for choosing to return to her roots when her work could really take her anywhere, de Barros Gomes was clear.
“I live on the Newport-Middletown border, one street away from my mom, who's in Newport and very close to Newport Heights where I spent my early childhood,” de Barros Gomes said.
“I wanted to be back home and close to family. I wanted to be back near the water. My son also graduated from Middletown High School in 2022 and had the same amazing experiences in band and drama club. Coincidentally, we had the same drama club teacher — Mr. (Kevin) Zahm — 30 years apart.”
Document Link: https://mdl.town/NYCU-Akeia
About Middletown
The Town of Middletown is a vibrant municipality located on Aquidneck Island, known for its scenic beauty, historic landmarks, diverse economy and strong sense of community. For more information about all we have to offer, visit MiddletownRI.gov online.
Media Contact
Matt Sheley
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401-842-6543
msheley@middletownri.gov