From the Killingly Villager by Margaret Weaver on June 4, 2021
Yesterday, June 3, I had the privilege of attending the dedication, in front of Westfield Congregational Church in Danielson, of a “Witness Stone” for Cuffee, a slave whom Mary Danielson purchased in February 1728/9.
“What is a Witness Stone?” you ask. The following is from the Project’s Web site: “’Only by coming to terms with history can we free ourselves to create a more just world.’ – Drew Gilpin Faust, Harvard’s 28th president, at The Universities and Slavery: Bound by History Conference at Harvard University on March 3, 20.”
These words embody the underlying motivation of the Witness Stones Project. In order for our communities to grow to the extent to which they reflect our ideals of justice and equality, it is essential for us to acknowledge and confront the painful times in our history when we have not lived up to those ideals. Through remembrance and reconciliation, we will be able to navigate a path toward healing and growth. It is with this in mind that the Witness Stones Project seeks to restore the history, and honor the humanity and contributions of the enslaved individuals who helped build our communities.
