Presentation and discussion exploring the true history of the community who lived on Malaga Island, off the coast of Phippsburg, Maine, in the late 1800s. The program examines the individuals who were part of this community and the state’s actions to evict them from their homes through the complex history of racism and eugenics in Maine. 

Presented live in person and on Zoom.  Registration is required for Zoom only.

Kate McBrien currently serves as Maine State Archivist, overseeing Maine State Government’s archives and records management programs. As curator of the award-winning exhibition “Malaga Island, Fragmented Lives,” McBrien is also an historian for the Malaga Island community. She previously held positions as Chief Curator and Director of Public Engagement at the Maine Historical Society and as the Curator of Historic Collections for the Maine State Museum.

This program is presented in partnership with the Bath YMCA and is part of the Bath Area Family YMCA DEI Committee Programming Series 2024: Acknowledging our Past to Create a More Inclusive Future.

Bath Area Family YMCA’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, in partnership with the Patten Free Library, is bringing a series of speakers, programs and events to our community as part of our dedication to creating communities that are inclusive and socially just so that all people can thrive. With this series, we will facilitate opportunities to explore a small piece of our region’s history with race relations, primarily through the lens of Malaga Island. By familiarizing ourselves with this history, we hope to explore how we can avoid the terrible mistakes of our past and create more inclusive communities today and in the future. We welcome all in the community to participate in these programs and to help to be a part of that vision of a just, equitable community.