Stonington Historical Society To Open Exhibit On Slavery

Information via Stonington Historical Society

STONINGTON, CT — On February 4th, the Stonington Historical Society will open "My Freedom is a Privilege that Nothing Else Can Equal,” a new, permanent exhibition about the life of Venture Smith and slavery in Stonington. This project received a “Good to Great” grant from the State of Connecticut's Department of Economic and Community Development in 2018.

Venture Smith was kidnapped as a young boy in Africa and sold into slavery in the early 18th-century. He was later brought to New England and after decades of enslavement, he bought his freedom in 1765. In 1798, as an elderly man, Venture verbally dictated his life experiences, which were printed by The Bee of New London, Connecticut.

"The experiences of Africans in early America, and especially in New England, are often not well-documented, which is why Venture Smith’s autobiography is such an important story to share,” says Elizabeth Wood, Executive Director of the Historical Society. “Our mission at the Historical Society is to preserve and interpret ALL parts of Stonington history and we’re excited to honor Venture’s legacy with this permanent exhibition.”

The Lighthouse Museum will be open in February for the public to view this new exhibit on Thursdays from 1 - 8pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 10am - 4pm, and Sundays from 1 - 5pm beginning on February 4th through February 27th. Admission is FREE for everyone! Members of the Stonington Historical Society are invited to a first look event on February 3rd from 1 – 8pm. More information is available at stoningtonhistory.org.

Founded in 1895, the Stonington Historical Society preserves, interprets, and celebrates the history of all of Stonington, Connecticut. The Society owns and operates the Captain Nathaniel B. Palmer House, the Lighthouse Museum. and the Woolworth Research Library, as well as maintaining its collection of objects and documents and offering educational programming throughout the year.