Conversations at Noon: The Story of Adam Jackson

Lynette Fisher and Nicole Thomas, Site Administrator and Assistant Site Administrator at the Hempsted Houses historic site in New London, will lead an online conversation on Tuesday, August 23 at noon exploring the legacy of slavery in the Connecticut Colony.

The discussion will focus primarily on the story of Adam Jackson, a former slave on the Hempsted property, and how his experience intersects with that of the Hempsted family. Lynnette and Nicole will discuss the landmark court case in which Adam's parents, Joan and John Jackson, fought for freedom. Also included in this talk will be a short overview of the Hempsted Historic District and the inclusion of the new Black Heritage Trail within the district.

Born in the house that bears his name in 1678, Joshua Hempsted (the second) kept a diary from 1711 until his death in 1758. Today, the diary is one of the best sources of information about the people of colonial New London and their activities. On Thursday, September 21, 1727, Joshua Hempsted went to settle the estate of Samuel Fox, a neighbor. He wrote that he purchased Adam Jackson, a farmer who had been born into slavery, for £85. Adam would live and work at the property for more than three decades. As a site of northern slavery, the Hempsted Houses work to engage the public in understanding the historical roots and current-day implications of issues related to equality and freedom and empower people to make a difference today.

There are 142 structures in the Hempsted Historic District, with the earliest dating from 1678. This urban neighborhood developed in the mid 19th-century from the subdivision of lands owned by the Hempsted and Holt families. Part of the land was developed by local abolitionists to provide housing for free Black residents.

This talk is part of the Conversations at Noon on the CT Freedom Trail program hosted by Connecticut's Old State House.

Interested participants may register here: https://bit.ly/CFTHempstedHouses