The principle and practice of popular election lies at the very heart of American democracy. But who gets to vote for our political leaders? The answer to that question has changed over the years here in Connecticut. Originally, voting was limited to men of property. The 1818 State Constitution then added the word “white” in […]
In 1910 after many experiments, shade tobacco supplanted broadleaf to become the dominant crop in the Connecticut River Valley. It’s aroma, texture, burn, and size help to create a boutique industry that became an important part of Connecticut lore and romance. Whether they were students recruited from historically black colleges or along the eastern seaboard, […]
The Hartford Grammar School, which had a long history dating back to the school started by Thomas Hooker in 1638, was the secondary school for young men in Hartford until 1847. In that year, school leaders, influenced by the ideas of Henry Barnard, himself a graduate of the HGS, decided to bring together the English […]
Virtual Event - register here:In 1839 Connecticut’s Old State House was the site of the first of the famous Amistad trials. The trials grabbed international headlines, but after the US Supreme Court resolved the case in 1841, the story faded from collective memory. In1997, Steven Spielberg reintroduced the dramatic Amistad incident to the world, sparking […]
Join us for the second in a series of interactive “Encounters” dialogues exploring three critical documents of American identity and their role in our lives today: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. This program aims to foster meaningful and informed discussion around the values that form the basis of our […]
Today’s headlines are filled with arguments over restrictions on the right to vote and attempts to expand it. Miles Rapoport, formerly CT's Secretary of State and E.J. Dionne, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute, advocate for making a commitment to a ‘100% Democracy’, an election process where every citizen has the right to vote […]
The Mary and Eliza Freeman Houses in Bridgeport serve a critical role in the history of Bridgeport and of the Black community in Connecticut. Their homes became the center of Little Liberia – a neighborhood of free people of color that included a luxurious seaside resort hotel for wealthy Blacks, Bridgeport’s first free lending library, […]
Join us FREE today to celebrate International Museum Day! We'll be open from noon to 5:00 pm. Visit our restored historic Senate and House chambers, learn the stories of famous Connecticut citizens, discover Hartford's role in history and explore our unique Museum of Curiosities. Walk the halls, hear the stories, be inspired!
Online Event ... Join Joanie DiMartino, Curator of the Prudence Crandall Museum, for a thought-provoking presentation on the successes and legacy of the Canterbury Female Boarding School, a groundbreaking school for young African American girls that found itself on the forefront of civil rights in the early nineteenth century. In 1832, Prudence Crandall, the white principal of […]
Stop by Connecticut's Old State House on Open House Day! Enjoy free admission to the museum exhibits, challenge yourself with a fun scavenger hunt through the building, pick up cute coloring pages for the kids, and more! The building will be open from noon to 5:00pm, and the last visitors will be admitted at 4:00 pm.Every year on Connecticut Open House Day, more […]
Music has the power to bring people together! Stop by Connecticut's Old State House lawn on Tuesday, June 21st between 3:00 and 4:00 pm to enjoy the striking sound of Basses Loaded, a talented group of string bass musicians celebrating the magical ability of music to knit communities together.Make Music Hartford is a live, free […]
Online Event … Join Andre Keitt, Greatheart Griot Storyteller, for a fascinating discussion of the life of James Pennington, author of the world’s first book on the history of the African American, known for challenging the statements of Thomas Jefferson on the “inferiority of black people.”After a harrowing escape to freedom, James Pennington arrived in […]