Entangled Histories: The Nightingales of Providence & the Legacy of Slavery

In this presentation, Brandon Nightingale shares the unfolding story of his genealogical journey, which began in 2017 and traces his family’s roots from St. Marys, Georgia back to Providence, Rhode Island. His research explores a potential connection between his surname and the white Nightingale family of Providence—one of whom migrated to Cumberland Island, Georgia. There, Brandon’s ancestors were enslaved in nearby St. Marys. Through a combination of archival research, oral history interviews, and the rediscovery of burial grounds, Brandon reconstructs a powerful narrative of displacement, survival, and memory. His journey recently culminated in a poignant reconnection with a descendant of the Nightingale family. This talk offers a deeply personal reflection on how geography, archival silences, and generational knowledge shape Black ancestral reclamation.

This program is co-sponsored by the First Unitarian Church, the Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice at Brown University, and Providence Preservation Society.

Brandon Nightingale is a historian, genealogist, and Ph.D. student at Howard University, where he serves as the Senior Project Manager for the Black Press Archives Digitization Project at the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center (MSRC). In this role, he oversees a multi-year initiative to preserve and make accessible thousands of historical African American newspapers on microfilm, leading efforts in metadata creation, quality control, public outreach, and digital infrastructure planning. He also supports research fellowships, supervises student staff, and collaborates with national partners to promote the legacy of the Black press.

A native of Jacksonville, Florida—at the southern edge of the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor—Brandon’s roots trace to nearby St. Marys, Georgia. Since beginning his genealogical journey in 2017, he has explored a potential link between his surname and the Nightingale family of Providence, Rhode Island, one of whom migrated to Cumberland Island, Georgia, where his ancestors were enslaved. His research explores how archival records, naming practices, and geographic displacements shape Black family histories and historical memory. Brandon’s work bridges the personal and institutional, combining archival preservation with public scholarship to expand access to African American historical narratives. He has presented at national and international conferences on Black media history, Pan-Africanism, and digital humanities.

Event Location: First Unitarian Church of Providence, 1 Benevolent Street. A reception at the Church will follow the presentation.

Note: This event is fully accessible for those using wheelchairs or having limited mobility. Handicapped parking spaces are marked in both First Unitarian’s lot and in street spaces beside the church on Benevolent Street. Both the sanctuary and Parish House are accessible via the breezeway that connects the buildings. More information about accessibility can be found here. To find the best bus route to the Church, please use RIPTA's interactive trip planner online here.

Parking for 25 cars is available in the First Unitarian lot on Benefit Street, beside the church. There is ample free on-street parking for several blocks around the church.