We invite you to watch these highlights of the Witness Stones Project at Robert Morris School in South Bound Brook and the Abraham Staats House on February 29th, 2024, including the laying of the Witness Stone for Henry “Harry” Staats.
Witness Stones
First Public Lecture in Longmeadow
The Witness Stones Project is excited to announce an expanded collaboration in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. The nonprofit, educational initiative, whose mission is to restore the history and honor the humanity of the enslaved individuals who helped build our communities, will be working with the First Church of Christ, Longmeadow Public Schools, and the Longmeadow Historical Society to uncover and share the local history of slavery.
The first public event will be a lecture at 7 pm on Tuesday, February 27, 2024. The lecture, Introducing the Witness Stone Project: Remembering the History and Honoring the Humanity of Enslaved Individuals from Longmeadow, will be hosted by the First
Church of Christ in Longmeadow at 763 Longmeadow Street. The lecture is free and no pre-registration is required, but free will donations will be gratefully received.
The Witness Stones Project provides local archival research, professional teacher development, a classroom curriculum, and public programming to help students and their communities discover and chronicle the local history of slavery. The final component of the work in each community is the placement of Witness Stone MemorialsTM that honor enslaved individuals where they lived, worked, or worshiped. These stones serve as meaningful reminders of the lives and contributions of those who often went unrecognized in history. www.WitnessStonesProject.org
The First Church of Christ in Longmeadow has a rich history of social commitment dating back to 1716. It is a congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC). The mission of the UCC is: “United in Spirit and inspired by God’s grace, we welcome all, love all, and seek justice for all.” www.firstchurchlongmeadow.org
Longmeadow Public Schools includes three elementary schools, two middle schools and a high school. Their mission is to ensure that all students excel in learning, succeed in life, and enrich their community. www.longmeadow.k12.ma.us
The Longmeadow Historical Society’s mission is to preserve the town’s history and inspire public awareness of the people, places, and events that have contributed to Longmeadow’s history. www.longmeadowhistoricalsociety.org
Witness Stones Project Announces New Collaboration in New Paltz, New York
The Witness Stones Project, a nonprofit educational initiative whose mission is to restore the history and honor the humanity of the enslaved individuals who helped build our communities, today announced a new partnership with the Historic Huguenot Street. The Historic Landmark District in New Paltz, New York, will be using the Project’s research, curriculum, and landscape markers to help uncover, share, and memorialize the history of the enslaved individuals who lived in New Paltz.
Historic Huguenot Street was originally founded in 1894 by the descendants of the first settlers as the Huguenot Patriotic, Historical, and Monumental Society to preserve what remained of their French and Dutch heritage. Since then, Historic Huguenot Street has grown into an innovative museum, chartered as an educational corporation by the University of the State of New York, that is dedicated to protecting its historic buildings, conserving an important collection of artifacts and manuscripts, and promoting the stories of the Huguenot Street families, from the sixteenth century to today.
Historic Huguenot Street envisions a nationally recognized historic site that will inspire guests to think in new ways about American history while also carrying forward the conversation about the relationship between past and present.
