Although a native of New York, Downing made Newport his home and progressively became one of the city’s most highly revered historical figures. A caterer and restaurateur by trade, Downing used his position and influence to advocate for abolition, equal educational opportunities for Black children, negotiated support for freedmen during the reconstruction era, and, when he settled back down in Newport, he continued to advocate for civil rights issues, such as interracial marriage, until his death in 1903. His restaurant in New York was a station for the Underground Railroad.