The Witness Stones Project, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to restore the history and honor the humanity of the enslaved individuals who helped build our communities, today announced a new affiliation with the East Ridge Middle School, the Ridgefield Historical Society, and Scotts Ridge Middle School. The Ridgefield community will be using the Project’s curriculum and landscape markers to expand their teaching of the history of slavery in colonial Connecticut.
Students will examine primary source documents, such property, church, and vital records; wills and probate inventories; and census data, in order to understand the reality of slavery and to restore the memory of those individuals who were enslaved. They will learn how to document and describe the dehumanization and paternalism of slavery; the economic and legal framework that supported slavery; and, the agency, resistance, and contributions of the enslaved to our local and national history. Finally, these students will be inviting their communities to witness as they install memorial stones for individuals who were enslaved in their town.
The goal at the East Ridge Middle School is to support the growth and development of the whole child in reaching their full potential.
The Historical Society’s purpose is to preserve, interpret, and foster public knowledge of Ridgefield’s historical, cultural, and architectural heritage.
Scotts Ridge Middle School’s mission is to provide engaging, relevant, and personalized learning experiences so all students can pursue their interests and prepare for life, learning, and work as global citizens.
