We’re very proud to have the Witness Stones Project’s work featured in this Connecticut Public special series.
Slavery has deep roots in Connecticut and across New England. Get to know some of these men, women and children and the lives they lived. Hear from descendants and learn from historians and students going on a journey of discovery to uncover history
Slavery existed across colonial Connecticut, as well as colonial New England. Enslaving people was legal in Connecticut for more than 200 years and did not officially end until 1848. Enslavement was casually documented in real records, which contrasts with America’s sanitized pre-Civil War history often taught in school. Featured in the video is Adrienne Joy Burns, a public historian, who has worked with Yale & Slavery Research Project and the Witness Stones Project, which helps Connecticut communities learn about their past. Akeia de Barros Gomes is a senior curator of Maritime Social Histories at the Mystic Seaport Museum and Elizabeth Normen is the Founding Publisher of Connecticut Explored Magazine.
A phone call leads to a surprise: A family learns through the Witness Stones Project that their ancestors were enslaved in Connecticut. This discovery gave them an extended family, as well as “a sense of ownership and a sense of belonging.” It also reshaped their view of patriotism. Pat Wilson Pheanious and her son Cheo Hodari Coker are descendants of Montros and Phillis, who were enslaved by David Naughty in Guilford. Their interview was filmed at the Hyland House, where their ancestor Candace was enslaved.
Venture Smith’s 18th-century narrative is the earliest published narrative of slavery in the Americas. More people are learning about him in part because his descendants are working to keep his story alive. Susi Ryan, a ninth-generation descendant, uses quilting as a way to honor Venture’s legacy and his story, which began in Guinea in the early 1700s.
Go on a journey to rediscover Sawney Freeman and his music. Freeman’s compositions were tucked away in Trinity College’s Watkinson Library for centuries. With help from St. John’s Church in Essex, Freeman’s life is brought to light and his music is performed and recorded for the first time.
The ongoing efforts of the Witness Stones Project have placed at least 200 memorials honoring enslaved people at sites around Connecticut and the Northeast. As Connecticut learns more about its ties to slavery, efforts are underway to ensure the stories live on – through students. Hear from John Mills, former teacher Dennis Culliton, and Connecticut high school students.