Efforts Spotlight Slave Who Inspired Beach Name, Local Tale

Legend has it, Robin Mingo was promised his freedom if the tide ever receded enough for him to walk out onto a rocky ledge offshore of what is now known as Mingo Beach

By Philip Marcelo • Published June 18, 2022 • Updated on June 18, 2022 at 12:36 pm

The curious history of a Massachusetts beach named after an enslaved African American is the focus of new efforts to recognize the role of slavery along the state’s picturesque North Shore. Legend has it, Robin Mingo was promised his freedom if the tide ever receded enough for him to walk out onto a rocky ledge offshore of what is now known as Mingo Beach. Today, students and faculty at Endicott College in Beverly are researching the local legend and proposing ways to memorialize the slave at his namesake beach, which is located on campus. They hope the efforts spark broader discussions about the role of slavery in New England.

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