This Black History Now exhibit reveals the vital yet often overlooked contributions of African American labor – both free and enslaved – in building Dry Dock No. 1 at the Gosport Shipyard in Portsmouth. Completed in 1834, this historic structure became the first operational dry dock in the western hemisphere, finishing mere weeks ahead of the dry dock at the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston. The contributions of Black laborers enabled Dry Dock No. 1 to achieve that historic status. Explore the tensions between white and Black laborers, the challenges they faced, and the remarkable journey of George Teamoh, an enslaved worker who later became a Virginia Senator and political activist. Come learn all about this fascinating chapter in Portsmouth’s history, a great example of the importance of Black labor in building America’s infrastructure. Find out more about the event here: https://brnw.ch/DryDockAffairExhibit