John B. Russwurm House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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John B. Russwurm House
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 238 Ocean Avenue, Portland, Maine |
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| Built | c. 1810 |
| NRHP reference No. | 83000450 |
| Added to NRHP | July 21, 1983 |
The John B. Russwurm House is a historic home in Portland, Maine. It was built around 1810. This house was once the home of John Brown Russwurm. He was an important abolitionist and a leader in Liberia. An abolitionist worked to end slavery. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
About the John B. Russwurm House
The Russwurm House is located on Ocean Avenue in Portland. It is a classic example of a "Federal period" house. This means it was built in the early 1800s. It has two and a half stories and is made of wood.
The front of the house has five windows and a central door. The door has a simple "Greek Revival" style. This style includes narrow side windows and flat columns. A smaller section extends from the back of the house. Inside, there is a narrow staircase near the entrance. The rooms on either side are parlors, or living rooms.
Who Was John B. Russwurm?
John Brown Russwurm lived in this house from 1812 to 1827. He was born in Jamaica in 1799. His father was a white plantation owner. His mother was an enslaved Black woman.
John B. Russwurm went to school in Maine. He studied at Hebron Academy. Then he went to Bowdoin College. He was the first African-American to graduate from Bowdoin.
After college, Russwurm became a co-editor of Freedom's Journal. This was the first newspaper in America owned and published by African-Americans. He worked to end slavery. He also believed in helping Black people move to Africa.
In 1836, he became the first Black governor of Maryland in Africa. This was a colony that later became part of Liberia. This house in Portland is the only known place in the United States connected to his life.
