Carrying a torch for Martin Luther King Jr. in Portsmouth

Relay starts at ‘Black Regiment’ monument

EastBayRI.com ·

PORTSMOUTH — Runners from the Naval Station Newport community picked a fitting spot to begin their torch run in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. this morning.

The late civil rights leaders’s legacy is being celebrated today with a ceremony that began at the 1st Rhode Island Regiment monument at Patriots Park, located at the intersection of Routes 114 and 24.

The 1st Rhode Island Regiment was also known as the “Black Regiment” due to its inclusion of many African-Americans who fought the British during the Revolutionary War. 

The torch run kicked off “A Day On, Not Off” celebration hosted by the Newport branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). 

The torch run will end at the Thompson Middle School in Newport, with a presentation and guest speakers, followed by a noon luncheon at the Mainstay Inn in Newport. 

At 3 p.m., there will be a program at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Center, 20 Dr. Marcus F. Wheatland Boulevard, Newport, followed by a 5 p.m. service at the Community Baptist Church, 50 Dr. Marcus Wheatland Boulevard, Newport. 

1st Rhode Island Regiment, Black Regiment, Patriots Park, NAACP