$42 | 2 hours | 1.5 miles
Portland Black History Walking Tour
A small community with an outsized impact in Portland and across the world.
Centuries of Black leadership
Take a guided walk tracing the steps of the Black Portlanders who moved our city, state, and country closer to the ideals of freedom, democracy, opportunity, and equality.
Maine’s earliest settlements couldn’t have existed without Black labor, skill, and insight — and since those first moments, Black Yankees have agitated and organized to resist indignity and realize power.
You'll meet the people who founded Maine communities, overturned slavery statewide, drove our maritime industries, swung elections, founded houses of worship, crossed color boundaries, and expanded Mainers’ rights in the modern era.
Untouristed gems await you
With your locally-raised historian and guide, Dugan, your journey will include more than the usual tourist spots.
In the iconic Old Port, you’ll uncover Black history hidden all around you. Stepping on granite cobblestones crooked with age — that once saw footfalls from national heroes like Frederick Douglass — you’ll pass landmarks like boutique storefronts once home to Black-owned barbershops where abolitionists whispered intelligence to Underground Railroad conductors. The air here still lingers with the notes of a longshoreman’s sea shanty, the crackle of rope from cargo hoisted aboard ships creaking in the waters of Casco Bay, and the myriad accents of Black sailors arriving from the Caribbean and eastern Canadian provinces.
Seated between the wharves and the country’s only remaining maritime observatory, you’ll visit one of Portland’s historically Black neighborhoods, where the stick-built homes and businesses encircled a joyful, close-knit community in the 19th century. As you explore off the beaten path, you’ll almost hear the sounds of children playing, voices raised in song, and passionate speeches of politicians and activists organizing for self-determination and greater freedoms for all Black Americans.
Don’t just visit Portland—
connect with the city!
Tour details
Price
$42 per person
Group size
15 people max
Duration
2 Hours
Neighborhoods visited
Portland's Old Port, waterfront, and East End
Length & difficulty level of walk
1.5 easy miles (about 3,000 steps) of well-paced walking, mostly in the shade when sunny. The longest distance between tour stops is about 0.2 miles (a 4-minute walk).
Portland is a hilly city. Participants will walk uphill sometimes, including a staircase of 17 steps.
Accessibility
✔️ Fully wheelchair and stroller accessible upon request
Starting location
First Parish Church at 425 Congress Street (head of Temple Street) - Open in Google Maps
(0.6 miles from the cruise ship terminal)
Ending location
Eastern Cemetery at 228 Congress Street - Open in Google Maps
(0.5 miles from start; 0.5 miles from the cruise ship terminal)
Tickets
✔️ Instant confirmation via email
✔️ No ticket needed to check in — simply give your name to your guide!
Included
✔️ Professional, locally-raised guide
✔️ Donation to the restoration fund of the Abyssinian Meeting House, America’s third-oldest standing Black church
🚣🏽 10% off Portland Paddle water tours (instructions at confirmation)
Not Included
❌ Gratuity for your guide
Cancellation
✔️ Free cancellation with a full refund up to 24 hours in advance
✔️ Tours are rain or shine! We very rarely cancel.
Important to Know
✔️ Check-in is 10 minutes before the tour’s scheduled start time
✔️ Plan ahead for parking, avoiding 2-hour street parking
✔️ Check the weather and dress in layers for comfort
❌ No bathrooms are available during the tour
❌ Animals are not allowed unless medically necessary
What to bring
✔️ Comfortable shoes, sunglasses, water, and perhaps a jacket or hat
✔️ If it’s raining, bring rain gear and/or an umbrella
Walking tours designed for you
A city built for walking tours
Portland is a city best experienced on foot. Our walking tours allow you to truly appreciate the city’s many mysteries, which are easy to miss when driving by and impossible to see by car or bus.
Small groups
No jostling for the best spot or straining to hear on this tour! We limit groups to 15 guests so you can have the intimate experience you expect — with plenty of space for comfort and questions.
Gently paced
With an accessible path designed for folks with varying mobility needs, this is a gently paced tour appropriate for most people. Expect a moderate pace with 5-minutes or less walking at a time.
5-star guide
Visitors can’t say enough good things about our guide, Dugan. He’s a locally-raised historian and performer who has guided well over 31,000 happy guests through his hometown. Tripadvisor named him the top-rated tour guide in Maine!
Trusted public historian
Dugan is a certified Portland History Docent, holder of the University of Maine Dawnland – Maine Indian History Badge, and Maine Historical Society’s only official tour partner. Expect a history-rich and BS-free experience!
Good for you, good for Portland
If you are looking to travel with the smallest carbon footprint, stay active, and support small businesses, this tour is for you!
Book with confidence
Excellent tour experience
Portland by the Foot is the top-rated tour company in Portlnd on Tripadvisor and consistently rated five-stars.
Free cancellations
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. No trip insurance needed! We know that plans can change — that’s why we offer a generous cancellation policy.
Value for your money
Book directly on this website for the best price. If you get tickets elsewhere for more, let us know and we’ll re-book you at the lower rate!
Our tours regularly sell out!
To get your preferred tour time and to avoid missing out, we highly recommend booking as soon as possible.
FAQ
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Highlights of the Black History Tour include: First Parish Church; Lobsterman Park; Exchange Street; Mariner’s Church; Commercial Street waterfront; United States Custom House; Restaurant Row; India Street; Abyssinian Meeting House; Portland Observatory; Green Memorial AME Zion Church; Eastern Cemetery; North School; and Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
Oh, and plenty of boutiques, award-winning restaurants, museums, and more!
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Advanced purchase is strongly recommended, as tours often sell out. To maximize your chances of getting the day and time you prefer, book well in advance.
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Arrive 10 minutes prior to the start time to check in.
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Portland is very walkable, so if you are staying on the peninsula, plan to walk! The tour starting location is a short walk from any accommodation on the peninsula.
To skip the hassle of parking if you’re staying off-peninsula, catch a rideshare or taxi to the tour start location.
If you do drive, plan to arrive early. Paid parking is available throughout Portland, but finding on-street parking can be time consuming and parking at a 2-hour meter means risking a ticket.
Make parking easy and park in a garage. We recommend the Elm Street Parking Garage at 21 Elm Street, which is right around the corner from the starting location.
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We want all of our guests to have a fantastic and comfortable time and do our best to offer fully accessible tours.
For questions about tour accessibility and how we can accommodate your specific needs, call 207-200-5885 or email hi@portlandbythefoot.com.
Details about this tour that may be helpful:
✔️ The length of this tour is 1.5 miles.
✔️ There are opportunities to sit, but the majority of the time you’ll be traveling from place to place or stationary without the opportunity for a seat (unless you bring one!). The longest distance between tour stops is about 0.2 miles (a 4-minute walk).
✔️ We will travel at a moderate pace and Dugan will always wait until all group members are assembled at a stop before offering tour narration.
✔️ Portland’s streets and sidewalks run the gamut from A++ awesome to “Boo! One star!” If you use a wheelchair or a walker or are unsteady on your feet, you might experience mobility challenges on the tour as we traverse cobblestone streets, uneven brick sidewalks, and narrow pathways. If you have mobility needs, tell Dugan so he can modify the tour to more comfortable routes.
✔️ While there can be up to 33 stairs per tour, all tour routes can be modified to avoid stairs while visiting all landmarks. If you need to avoid stairs, notify Dugan.
✔️ We offer free admission to access providers. Call or text 207-200-5885 or email hi@portlandbythefoot.com to let us know they’re coming!
✔️ Service animals are welcome.
✔️ Bring a hat if you’re sun sensitive; Dugan will do his best to find shade, but success will depend on the time of day.
✔️ All tours are in spoken English, with some printed visuals. Dugan will speak loudly and clearly.
Dugan is always open to feedback on the spot if needs arise on the tour. -
Plan to use the bathroom prior to the tour; we won’t stop for a break during the walk. The closest public restroom is in Portland Public Library’s main branch in Monument Square; check their website for open hours. You can also check this list of public restrooms in Portland.
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We love animals, but we cannot accommodate them on our tours unless the animal is medically required. We welcome guide dogs and other trained service animals.
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Our walks involve about 2 hours of walking, standing, and talking. Some children may have a limited attention span; if that’s your child, this tour may not be a good choice for them.
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We run tours rain or shine, canceling only when the conditions are extreme or dangerous.
Portland is known for its sunny skies from June through October, and when it does rain, it’s typically either a constant sprinkle or a squall that passes quickly.
Pack a light raincoat on rainy days and you won’t be sorry — take it from Kathleen, who visited in 2022 and expresses what we hear most from folks who take tours impacted by rain:
“Although it was raining for most of our tour, I kept forgetting about the rain, while being entertained with Dugan’s engaging tales!”
In the case of extreme or dangerous weather, we’ll cancel the tour with as much notice as possible. If we cancel, we’ll contact you directly to refund or rebook you. -
Cancellation is free up to 24 hours in advance of your reservation time. We’ll rebook or refund you — your preference!
To cancel or rebook, call or text 207-200-5885 or email hi@portlandbythefoot.com.
If you book through a third party like Tripadvisor, Viator, or GetYourGuide, your reservation is subject to their cancellation and refund terms, which may differ from ours. Check your confirmation email for details. -
To rebook, call or text 207-200-5885 or email hi@portlandbythefoot.com.
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The tour meets at First Parish Church at 425 Congress Street, which is 0.6 miles from the cruise ship terminal. It ends at Eastern Cemetery at 228 Congress Street, which is 0.5 miles from the starting location and 0.5 miles from the cruise ship terminal.
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If you feel your guide has provided a great experience, gratuities are encouraged — and welcomed — at the end of your tour. The standard tip in the industry is 20%.
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We’re here to help! Call us at 207-200-5885.