Black Picnic
From Salem Links and Lore
The Black Picnic which is held annually at Salem Willows on the third Saturday of July, started as a humble gathering of 26 slaves who met in 1741 for a quiet daylong celebration on their day off on the Saugus River in Lynn. The tradition continued into the 18th century, and dovetailed with another celebration started by clergy. By the 1920's it had become more of a "Sunday School Picnic" sponsored by black churches from Lynn, Malden, Everett, Cambridge and Boston.
See Also
"Families reunite at annual Black Picnic" Salem News, July 17, 2006, p. A2
"A proud tradition: Salem's annual Black Picnic links generations - back to 1741" Boston Globe North, July 19, 2007, p. NO 2
