Witness Stones Project affiliate Salisbury School is is proud to launch its website, Coloring Our Past. We invite you to view the website here.
#SalisburyCT
James Mars Day: A Student Chronicle of Real History
By Clarence Nurse in Intrepid Ed News on January 11, 2022
I wasn’t happy with my school experience in New York City. I wanted more. This class at the Salisbury School (CT) has not only given me more but has also exceeded my wildest expectations about how enjoyable meaningful learning can be. It is now year two, and the course has shown no signs of losing momentum.
A class where all students earn an “A+” might sound suspicious to someone on the outside, but after seeing what we have been able to produce, a better question would likely be “can students earn a higher grade than A+?”
The Story of Elizabeth Freeman
Students at Witness Stone affiliate the Salisbury School have been uncovering the history of slavery in Northwest Connecticut. Here they present the life of Elizabeth Freeman.
Marshall Miles Interviews Caleb May and Rhonan Mokriski about “Coloring Our Past”
“This movie has forced us to confront history that challenges our perception of who we are and how we became a country. Looking at the contributions local families of color like the Mars and the Cesars have had on our communities has really opened our eyes. In turn, our aim is to use our work to help form a more complete and inclusive history that highlights the contributions of all Americans. This project is not about simply uncovering the history of one Black family in America, it is also about completing the inaccurate and incomplete history of our diverse American Family.” -Nicholas Gray, Producer
Listen to the interview here.
Director’s Discussion: Coloring Our Past
Salisbury School student Caleb May leads a discussion about the film Coloring Our Past with Cesar family descendants and friends.
Coloring Our Past Film
Among several class projects, this film is one of three documentaries students from Salisbury School’s Searching for Slavery class have created over the course of the year to carry out their mission of educating the public about this important history, rewriting the stories that have been recorded incorrectly, and uncovering lives that have been ignored or buried.
Student Film Screening: Looking for Color
From the Atlantic Black Box Project on May 22, 2021
Salisbury, Connecticut: Students from Salisbury School’s Searching for Slavery class, in conjunction with the Upper Housatonic Heritage Area, are excited to screen the premiere of their film, Looking for Color on May 26, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. for Noble Horizons. Among several class projects, this film is one of three documentaries students have created over the course of the year to carry out their mission of educating the public about this important history, rewriting the stories that have been recorded incorrectly, and uncovering lives that have been ignored or buried. Continue reading.
Noble Horizons to Premiere Film by Salisbury School Students
From the Litchfield County Times on May 19, 2021
SALISBURY — Noble Horizons, a senior retirement community at 17 Cobble Road, will premiere Coloring Our Past, a film made by Salisbury School students in Rhonan Mokriski’s 2020-21 Searching for Slavery class, on May 26 at 7 p.m.
The film chronicles their discovery of the lost stories of local Black and Indigenous peoples whose contributions have been hidden from history for the last 200-plus years, an announcement said. Throughout the year, the students have conducted extensive research, field work, interviews and other efforts to uncover the lives of people who have long been buried, forgotten, or ignored, the announcement said. Continue reading.
Paying Tribute to the Life of James Mars at a Witness Stone Ceremony in Norfolk
By Patrick L. Sullivan in the TriCornerNews on May 5, 2021
NORFOLK — The life of James Mars was celebrated at the Norfolk Congregational Church on Sunday, May 2, with a ceremony marking the unveiling of a witness stone honoring Mars, the last slave bought or sold in Norfolk. Continue reading.
James Mars Day
Salisbury School students honor James Mars’s legacy.
