ENCOUNTERS: The Constitution of Connecticut
2022-10-01 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | CT
Explore the concept of ‘Constitution’ through a look into Connecticut’s constitutional history.
Our state is known by many names, including the Nutmeg State and the Land of Steady Habits. But its official nickname is, of course, the Constitution State.
From the Fundamental Orders of 1639, which some historians argue was the first American constitution, to the current state constitution passed in 1965, Connecticut has had many different documents serve as the basis of our state government. They define the powers and limits of elected officials, establish how new laws are made, and list the basic rights of all citizens.
But what constitutes a constitution? How do constitutions affect the daily lives of citizens? What fundamental principles does a constitution need to meet to be legitimate? Join us for an informed and collaborative exploration of these critical and fascinating questions!
Please register here

Ann Plato of Hartford: Pioneering Black Writer
2022-10-06 17:45 - 19:00 | CT
Stranger in a Strange Land: Ann Plato’s Strategy for Autonomy as Evidenced in Essays; Including Biographies and Miscellaneous Pieces, in Prose and PoetryJoin Antoinette Brim-Bell for a fascinating discussion about Ann Plato, who in 1841 became the fist African American writer to publish a collection of essays. When scrutinized through a white canonical literary lens or juxtaposed with accepted African American authors, her work is generally criticized for being derivative and of “little literary merit,” rendering Plato a footnote in history. This presentation will explore Ann Plato’s literature against this assessment, situating the publication of essays as a treatise that strategically optimizes the author’s opportunity for social and physical mobility.
This Hartford History Series event is produced in collaboration with Capital Community College. Please register here: https://bit.ly/2022HHS

Connecticut's Old State House Farmers Market
2022-10-07 10:00 - 14:00, 2022-10-14 10:00 - 14:00, 2022-10-21 10:00 - 14:00, 2022-10-28 10:00 - 14:00 | CT
Stop by Connecticut’s Old State House Farmers Market every Friday from 10am to 2pm between July 1st and October 28th .
In 1643, the General Court of Connecticut established a weekly Market to be held in Hartford. Come shop local and visit the current Farmers Market, established in 2011 with that original Market in mind. Our goal is to offer a variety of products from as many farmers and artisan vendors as possible. We are committed to offering a vibrant marketplace in downtown Hartford where local farmers and artisans can enjoy coming together with the community to share the best of what Connecticut has to offer. The Old State House Farmers Market runs from late spring through mid-fall, ensuring that our patrons enjoy the ultimate in seasonal variety for many months of the year!
NEW THIS YEAR: SNAP ACCEPTED
For the first time, Connecticut’s Old State House Farmers Market will accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) tokens. Simply bring your EBT card to the table with the sign that says “SNAP/EBT Accepted Here”. The Market Manager will swipe your card for the amount that you want.
VISIT US
Connecticut’s Old State House Farmers Market, located in bustling and historic downtown Hartford, provides local workers and city residents with access to farm fresh produce and the opportunity to experience a bit of country atmosphere right in the heart of the city! Featuring Connecticut Grown farmers, crafters, and lively music, shoppers at the Farmers Market can feel good knowing that they are supporting local agriculture and helping to build the local economy.
Connecticut’s Old State House Farmers Market is located at 800 Main Street in Hartford, on the East brick plaza near the lawn, within the wrought iron fence surrounding Connecticut’s Old State House. We are conveniently located on the city bus route and are within a few blocks of free DASH shuttle service stops. Metered parking is available on nearby side streets, and Connecticut’s Old State House will validate parking for the State House Square Garage at 55 Market Street, which reduces your cost to a flat $5 fee when you exit the garage.
While you’re here, make a trip inside Connecticut’s Old State House. Visit our restored historic Senate and House chambers, learn the stories of famous Connecticut residents, discover Connecticut’s role in history and explore our unique Museum of Curiosities. Walk the halls, hear the stories, be inspired! Connecticut’s Old State House is open from noon to 5:00 pm, with the last admission at 4:00 pm.

#farmersmarket

Summer Concert Series: Band of Steady Habits
2022-10-07 12:00 - 13:00 | CT
TODAY: The Band of Steady Habits …
The acoustic Band of Steady Habits came together in 2014 to share their love of music, and to use their talents to help create a new kind of public history presentation. Rachel Smith, Teagan Smith, Jeremy Teitelbaum, Walt Woodward, and Duke York use banjo, guitars, violin, recorders, bass, percussion, and beautiful harmonies to perform songs – some old, some original, and some contemporary – to accompany the visually rich and evocative stories of state historian Walt Woodward. The stories provide new insights and perspectives into topics ranging from the Civil War, to the uniqueness of Connecticut, to the poetry of Robert Frost. Band of Steady Habits performances have received rave reviews in venues throughout Connecticut and Massachusetts, and are gaining them fans both for their stories and music.
Visit the band’s website
Join us for our annual FREE Summer Concert Series! Stop by every Friday at lunchtime to hear a different band play each week on the west side of Connecticut’s Old State House. Bring your lunch and enjoy the music! Concerts begin at noon and will also be live-streamed on our Facebook page and YouTube channel.
#bosh #bandofsteadyhabits #summerconcertseries

CT's Old State House Election Series: The Logistics of Elections
2022-10-13 12:00 - 13:00 | CT
Our panel of experts explains the logistics of elections in the state of Connecticut.
Featuring:
Moderator: Laura Smits – President, League of Women VotersPanelists:Ted Bromley – Director of Elections at Secretary of the State’s OfficeMichael J. Brandi – Executive Director and General Counsel at State Elections Enforcement CommissionAlex Russell – UConn Professor and Director at the Center for Voting Technology Research

Untangling the Tally: The Logistics of Elections
2022-10-13 12:00 - 13:00 | CT
Untangling the Tally: Take a deep dive into how modern elections work and the various ways citizens engage with this core system of democracy. This series aims to untangle the logistics of elections, the role of technology and news coverage during elections, and the challenges faced by electors today to help build trust in their ability to participate in our government with confidence.
It’s Election Day! Time to head to the polls to cast our votes. But what happens to our ballots once we hand them in? In fact, how do the ballots even get to our local polling places? And how are all the ballots from all across the state counted? Election Day is a large, complicated event. It takes months of planning and coordination between state and local governments to pull it off. Who is involved in these logistics? And most importantly, how do we make sure nothing goes wrong?
Join our panel of experts: Ted Bromley, Director of Elections at the Secretary of the State’s Office; Michael J. Brandi, Exec. Dir. and Gen. Counsel of the State Elections Enforcement Commission; Alex Russell, UConn Prof and Director at the Center for Voting Technology Research; and Lauren Olson, Town of Ashford Registrar of Voters, as they discuss the logistics of elections, how the state works together with town clerks and poll workers, and all the measures taken to ensure the election is safe. Moderated by Laura Smits, President of CT’s League of Women Voters.
Speakers:
Ted Bromley (CT), Director of Elections SOTS Office, for the planning, automatic and requested recounts, post election auditing, etc.
Michael J. Brandi (CT), Executive Director and General Counsel of the State Elections Enforcement Commission, for the checks that exist to protect from fraud
Alex Russell (CT), UConn Prof and Director at the Center for Voting Technology Research, for the safeguards in the technology
Lauren Olson, Registrar of Voters, Town of Ashford
Laura Smits (CT), President League of Women Voters of CT – moderator
For more information: https://ctdemocracycenter.org/tally/
Please register here: https://bit.ly/UntanglingTheTally2022

Justice & Faith Hartford Walking Tour
2022-10-15 10:00 - 11:30 | CT
Join us for a special walking tour around Hartford’s East side exploring the stories of historic activists who once lived and thrived in the neighborhood.
For almost two hundred years, African Americans — both enslaved and free — maintained a vital community on Hartford’s East side. Most of these extraordinary men and women were associated with Talcott Street Congregational, the city’s first Black church. It provided a safe haven and a center of activism for the primary moral and political issues of the day. The “Justice & Faith” walking tour introduces participants to these fascinating figures and uncovers previously unknown stories that are relevant to our times.
Meet at the Main Street side of Connecticut’s Old State House. Please register here:https://bit.ly/2022HHS

Untangling the Tally: Media and Elections
2022-10-20 12:00 - 13:00 | CT
Untangling the Tally: Take a deep dive into how modern elections work and the various ways citizens engage with this core system of democracy. This series aims to untangle the logistics of elections, the role of technology and news coverage during elections, and the challenges faced by electors today to help build trust in their ability to participate in our government with confidence.
The media plays a fundamental role in any democracy, and all eyes are on the news on Election Day. From traditional news anchors, to independent reporters on Twitter, we have minute to minute election updates available right at our fingertips. But this overabundance of information can easily lead to confusion, misinformation, and the creation of echo chambers.
Join our panel of experts: Mara Suttmann-Lea, Asst. Prof. of American Politics at Connecticut College; Christine Stuart, Editor at CT News Junkie; Belinha de Abreu, President of the International Council for Media Literacy; and Mercy A. Quaye, Founder & President of The Narrative Project, who will discuss the role of news coverage and social media on Election day and the days leading up to it, and how we can protect ourselves from disinformation and find trustworthy sources. Moderated by Anita Ford-Saunders, Communication Strategist.
Speakers:
Anita Ford Saunders, Communications Strategist– moderator
Mara Suttman-Lea, Assistant Professor of American Politics at the Department of Government and International Relations at Connecticut College
Christine Stuart, CT News Junkie
Belinha de Abreu, Media Literacy Educator & Author
Mercy A. Quaye, Founder & President, The Narrative Project
For more information: https://ctdemocracycenter.org/tally/Please register here: https://bit.ly/UntanglingTheTally2022

ENCOUNTERS: The Global Reach of the Local Talcott Church
2022-10-22 10:00 - 12:00 | CT
Encounters is a moderated discussion around a set of short readings on a challenging topic. Participants sit in table groups of 8-10 and are led through a round of discussions by a table moderator. Experts are on hand to share facts and to answer questions. Catered food creates a comfortable, community atmosphere.
This guided community conversation, led by Dr Fiona Vernal, will use the Mars family as a lens for exploring how the congregants of Talcott Street Church cast their advocacy far and wide and weighed in on the emigration debates. This allows us insight into the wider network of the Mars family—particularly, Elizabeth Mars and her years of service in Liberia. It will also allow us to understand the relationship between the Connecticut Colonization society, the Hartford Female African Society, and the Charitable Society in the African Sunday School. These are important lenses for understanding the Christian missionary impulse in the Talcott Church as well as the role of black women as organizers and leaders. Hartford participated in the “The African Mission School” established at Trinity College, which was described as a “short-lived effort on behalf of Connecticut Episcopalians to develop a black leadership for the church in Liberia.”Please register here: https://bit.ly/2022HHS

Conversations at Noon: The Legacy of James L. Smith
2022-10-25 12:00 - 13:00 | CT
Join Regan Miner, Executive Director of the Norwich Historical Society, and Sandra Soucy, retired Social Studies teacher from the Norwich Free Academy and Norwich Historical Society Board Member, as they explore the legacy of former slave James L. Smith.
Born on a Virginia plantation, Smith escaped slavery in 1838 with the help of Norwich’s David Ruggles, a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad in New York City. Smith came to Norwich, bought a house on School Street in 1845 and worked downtown as a shoemaker. Smith is a powerful and inspirational example of how an escaped slave traveled north for his freedom and how settling in Norwich, Connecticut changed his life. His 1881 autobiography remains an important first hand account of the era.
Take a deep dive into Smith’s life and explore the multi-faceted nature of this story of slavery, racial issues, education, political history, and religion.
Please register here

Untangling the Tally: Barriers to Voting
2022-10-27 12:00 - 13:00 | CT
Untangling the Tally: Take a deep dive into how modern elections work and the various ways citizens engage with this core system of democracy. This series aims to untangle the logistics of elections, the role of technology and news coverage during elections, and the challenges faced by electors today to help build trust in their ability to participate in our government with confidence.
Elections have changed through the decades, but one thing has always remained the same: voting is not easy for everyone. For many eligible voters, it is actually near impossible. Issues of accessibility, convenience, transportation, time constraints, and a slew of other complications have always plagued Election Day. And the reasons so many citizens can’t make it to the polls, or choose not to go at all, go beyond just physical barriers.
Join our panel of experts: Yanidsi Vélez, Hispanic Federation CT State Director; Steven Hernandez, Executive Director of the General Assembly’s Commission on Women, Children and Seniors, Equity and Opportunity; Doris Maldonado, CT Council on Developmental Disabilities Chair, and Joe Goldman, Civics Teacher, E.O. Smith High School in Mansfield, as they discuss the barriers that many citizens face to have their votes counted on Election Day. Moderated by Val Ramos, Director of Strategic Alliances at Everyday Democracy.
Speakers:
Val Ramos, Everyday Democracy, moderator
Yanidsi Vélez, CT State Director, Hispanic Federation
Steven Hernandez, Executive Director GA’s Commission on Women, Children and Seniors, Equity and Opportunity
Doris Maldonado, Chair, CT Council on Developmental Disabilities

Joe Goldman, Civics Teacher, E.O. Smith High School in Mansfield
For more information: https://ctdemocracycenter.org/tally/Please register here: https://bit.ly/UntanglingTheTally2022

2022 Election Cake Bake Off
2022-11-05 13:00 - 15:00 | CT
On Saturday, November 5 from 1:00 – 3:00 pm, Connecticut’s Old State House in Hartford will host its first in-person Election Cake Bake-Off, a competition featuring entries from professional bakers and pastry chefs from across the state.
Inspired by the Early American custom of celebrating Election Day with the traditional Hartford Election Cake, this festive Bake-Off invites chefs to submit their modern interpretation of the traditional spice cake, which will be judged on taste and creativity of decoration.
This year’s judging panel includes Stephanie Webster, founder of the foodie website CTBites, food blogger David Milton of @thedamgram on Instagram, the sous chef of Sift Bakery in Mystic, former Connecticut Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, and 2022 Connecticut Kid Governor Makhi Ettienne-Modeste.
The public is invited to view the judging and participate in election-themed festivities throughout the building. Guided tours will also be available for visitors who would like to see the restored National Historic Landmark which once housed all three branches of Connecticut’s state government.

Untangling the Tally: Post-Election Conversation with Voters
2022-11-10 19:00 - 20:00 | CT
Untangling the Tally: Take a deep dive into how modern elections work and the various ways citizens engage with this core system of democracy. This series aims to untangle the logistics of elections, the role of technology and news coverage during elections, and the challenges faced by electors today to help build trust in their ability to participate in our government with confidence. For more information: https://ctdemocracycenter.org/tally/More details to come. Please register here: https://bit.ly/UntanglingTheTally2022

Conversations at Noon: Witness Stones Project: Telling the Stories of the Enslaved Across Connecticut
2022-11-22 12:00 - 13:00 | CT
Join us for a gripping presentation on the work and research being done to honor the humanity of the enslaved across Connecticut through the Witness Stones Project. Dennis Culliton, Founder and Executive Director of the Witness Stones Project, will discuss how to examine the history of slavery in Connecticut, where we can find the evidence of slavery, and how the history of slavery is brought to the classroom to empower students to write these stories in their communities through the Witness Stones Project. He will also share the successes of the project and how it can be brought to local communities.
Please register here

A Year in Review on The Connecticut Freedom Trail
2022-12-06 12:00 - 13:00 | CT
Join CT Freedom Trail Outreach Director Tammy Denease, CT Freedom Trail Chairman Charles Warner, and CT Freedom Trail Coordinator Todd Levine for a retrospective look at the growth and progress on the trail in 2022. More details to come

Evening Conversation: A Capitol Connoisseur's Creation of the Capitol Collection
2022-12-13 19:00 - 20:00 | CT
Kevin Snow, owner of the Capitol Collection, will discuss how the Capitol Collection passport book came into being, and talk about his own journey to visit as many state capitols as he could.
The story of his trip to deliver special Capitol Collection passport stamps includes some amusing anecdotes about tickling kittens or possible electrocutions, depending on which expert you ask. Finally, he’ll relate some of the tales of other capitol travelers and the goings-on at the capitols of today.
Please register here

Connecticut's Old State House Closed for Christmas Eve Day
2022-12-24 | CT
Connecticut’s Old State House will be closed on Saturday, December 24th for Christmas Eve Day. Please come back and visit us on Tuesday, December 27th between 12-5 PM.

Legislative Landmarks: “Connecticut’s Battle Over Emancipation: Lincoln, Copperheads, and…Steven Spielberg?”
2023-01-19 18:30 - 19:30 | In person/Online
Few imagined that when the 2012 Hollywood blockbuster’Lincoln’ hit theaters, it would ignite a heated debate involving Connecticut’scontroversial Civil War history, a congressman, and a frazzled screenwriterworried about the prospects for an Oscar! Join Dr. Matthew Warshauer, professorof History at Central Connecticut State University, in our historic House ofRepresentative’s chamber, as he plumbs the depths of our State’s troubles whenit comes to the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation and the challenges of civilrights that followed. This program is part of Connecticut’s Old State HouseLegislative Landmarks series.
Register: https://bit.ly/OSHEmancipationProclamation

Conversations at Noon on the Connecticut Freedom Trail: “Connecting the Stories in Connecticut's Old State House”
2023-01-24 12:00 - 13:00 | Online only
Located in the heart of downtown Hartford, Connecticut’s OldState House served as one of the capitol buildings of Connecticut until 1878.As the seat of the state’s government, the Old State House holds manyconnections to several important stories related to the Connecticut FreedomTrail, including the Prudence Crandall, Amistad, and Nancy Jackson trials, the1818 Constitution and many others. Activities that took place in the Old StateHouse connect to every town in the state – the laws passed, court decisionshanded down, and debates held in this building impacted everyone’s lives at thetime and touch our lives today. Join Executive Director of CT’s OId StateHouse, Sally Whipple, who will share some of the stories of thissite.
Register: https://bit.ly/CFTOldStateHouse

Evening Conversations: “The Many Colors of Justice: Black New Englanders in Connecticut’s Colonial Courts”
2023-02-23 18:30 - 19:30 | Online only
Black litigants regularly appeared in colonial Connecticut’scounty courts. Participating as plaintiffs, defendants, and third-partysubjects, free Black New Englanders in New London often relied on the courts toprotect their economic and social interests, especially when discrimination inthe community limited their ability to settle disputes informally. For the mostpart, Blacks entered a judicial process that tended to treat them more fairlythan the rest of colonial society. But one should not confuse Blackparticipation in New London’s legal culture with equality. Cases involvingenslaved Black New Englanders most often reinforced white settlers’expectations for economic and racial superiority.
Join Dr. Dominic DeBrincat, Chair of Social Sciences &Humanities and Associate Professor of History at Missouri Western StateUniversity, for a look at the experience of free and enslaved Black NewEnglanders in colonial New London’s county courts.
Register: https://bit.ly/OSH2023ColorsofJustice

POSTPONED: Conversations at Noon on the Connecticut Freedom Trail: “The Amistad Affair”
2023-02-28 12:00 - 13:00 | Online only
First in a limited series, The Amistad Trilogy.
In 1839, 53 captive Africans rebelled aboard the Spanish schooner La Amistad. They took over the ship, but were captured by the US Navy in Long Island Sound and taken into custody. They then allied with local abolitionists in Connecticut to fight for their freedom through the US court system, and ultimately won. Over 150 years later, the Connecticut legislature established the CT Freedom Trail. Its mission is documenting and designating sites that embody the struggle toward freedom and human dignity, and celebrating the accomplishments of the state’s Black and African American communities. The story of the Amistad is one of the most famous stories along the CT Freedom Trail.

Join us for the Connecticut Freedom Trail’s upcoming Amistad Trilogy. This series of programs will dive into the legacy of the Amistad saga in Connecticut and beyond. Explore some of the lesser known or untold sides of the story, and discover the countless ways the Amistad is remembered today!
Episode 1: The Amistad Affair
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. In 1997, Steven Spielberg reintroduced the dramatic Amistad incident to the world, sparking new interest among historians, educators, and the public. Since then, new research has shed light on the story and corrected some of the omissions and errors in the public’s knowledge.
Tammy Denease, Connecticut Freedom Trail Outreach Director, has studied the life journey of Margu, one of four children held captive on the Amistad. Tammy will share her remarkable story through a first-person recorded portrayal of Margu. Charles Warner, Jr., Chair of the CT Freedom Trail, will then lead a discussion with Tammy and Adrienne Joy Burns, who has studied the history of enslavement in New Haven with a focus on the Pardee-Morris House.
Register: https://bit.ly/CFT2023AmistadAffair

Conversations at Noon on The Connecticut Freedom Trail: "The Amistad Rebellion in History and Film"
2023-03-28 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Second in a limited series: The Amistad Trilogy.

In 1839, 53 captive Africans rebelled aboard the Spanish schooner La Amistad. They took over the ship, but were captured by the US Navy in Long Island Sound and taken into custody. They then allied with local abolitionists in Connecticut to fight for their freedom through the US court system, and ultimately won. Over 150 years later ,the Connecticut legislature established the CT Freedom Trail. Its mission is documenting and designating sites that embody the struggle toward freedom and human dignity, and celebrating the accomplishments of the state’s Black and African American communities. The story of the Amistad is one of the most famous stories along the CT Freedom Trail.
Join us for the Connecticut Freedom Trail’s upcoming Amistad Trilogy. This series of programs will dive into the legacy of the Amistad saga in Connecticut and beyond. Explore some of the lesser known or untold sides of the story, and discover the countless ways the Amistad is remembered today!
Episode 2: The Amistad Rebellion in History and Film
The story of the Amistad has been researched and told countless times, but rarely from the point of view of the Africans themselves.
Join Marcus Rediker, Distinguished Professor of Atlantic History at the University of Pittsburgh, who will discuss his prize-winning book, The Amistad Rebellion: An Atlantic Odyssey of Slavery and Freedom (2012)and his prize-winning documentary film Ghosts of Amistad: In the Footsteps of the Rebels (2014), directed by Tony Buba, showing how the meaning of the event changes when we look “from below,”” from the point of view of the Africans who emancipated themselves through the uprising. Prof. Rediker will also discuss the meaning of the event in its own time and in ours when the teaching of history has become controversial.
Make sure to watch the “Ghosts of Amistad: In the Footsteps of the Rebels” here before the program: https://youtu.be/oUCPo0DSstY
Register: https://bit.ly/CFT2023AmistadRebellion

Ins and Outs of Ranked Choice Voting
2023-03-30 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Speaker: Dr. Joseph Coll, Visiting Assistant Professor of Politics at Sewanee: The University of the South
During elections, most of us are used to voting for just one candidate per office. The candidate that gets the most votes wins. But there is an alternate form of election that has started to gain the public and policy maker’s attention, and that is Ranked Choice Voting.
In this type of election, voters use special ballots to rank all the candidates according to preference rather than voting for a single one. This system is already used in several local jurisdictions in the U.S., and even in some state elections. Advocates for Ranked Choice Voting say it can ensure more fair elections, while detractors maintain it actually deters voters from going to the polls.
Here in Connecticut, new legislation has been proposed to allow ranked choice voting in municipal elections. But what do we need to know about Ranked Choice Voting? Join Dr. Joseph Coll, Visiting Assistant Professor of Politics at Sewanee: The University of the South, who will discuss the fundamentals of this alternative form of elections!
Registration: https://bit.ly/OSH2023RCV

Conversations at Noon: Reclaiming Patriotism in an Age of Extremes
2023-04-08 13:00 - 14:00 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT, United States
Speaker: Dr. Steven B. Smith, the Alfred Cowles Professor of Political Science and professor of philosophy at Yale University
Join us in conversation with Dr. Steven B. Smith as he examines the concept “Patriotism” as a virtue in line with the core values of democracy and an expression of belonging, loyalty, and pride. What does it mean to be a patriot? Every day it feels like the country is more and more divided on critical issues. Everything has become politicized, even what it means to be an American. What is our emotional relationship to our nation? How have our feelings of Patriotism changed? And how can we reclaim those feelings to bring the country together again?
Register Here: https://bit.ly/OSH2023Patriotism

A Night at the Public House: The Regulars Are Coming Out
2023-04-20 17:30 - 19:30 | Connecticut’s Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT 06103, USA
Saddle your horses and take a midnight (but really early evening) ride to Connecticut’s Old State House for A Night at the Public House: The Regulars Are Coming Out – an event all about the Revolutionary War. Special guest historian Matthew Reardon of the New England Civil War Museum will tell the story of Connecticut’s response to the Lexington Alarm on April 19, 1775 with some fun surprises, and people, thrown into the story.
Thomas Hooker Brewery will be onsite with a cash bar turning the museum into a public house, or “pub” if you prefer, to be served along with pub style hors d’oeuvres.
Sea Tea Improv will be in the house to help set the stage for an engaging experience.
The event is FREE and open to the general public. Validated parking is available for $5 at the State House Square Parking Garage located at 75 Market St, Hartford, CT 06103. Metered parking in Hartford free after 6:00 pm
Registration is not required but is encouraged! Click here for tickets or copy and paste this link into your browser: https://forms.gle/ZC3wJy9C23JXvniu6.

Conversations at Noon on The Connecticut Freedom Trail: "Lessons of the Amistad: Through the lens of an African-Centered Woman"
2023-04-25 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Third in a limited series: The Amistad Trilogy.
In 1839, 53 captive Africans rebelled aboard the Spanish schooner La Amistad. They took over the ship, but were captured by the US Navy in Long Island Sound and taken into custody. They then allied with local abolitionists in Connecticut to fight for their freedom through the US court system, and ultimately won. Over 150 years later, the Connecticut legislature established the CT Freedom Trail. Its mission is documenting and designating sites that embody the struggle toward freedom and human dignity, and celebrating the accomplishments of the state’s Black and African American communities. The story of the Amistad is one of the most famous stories along the CT Freedom Trail.
Join us for the Connecticut Freedom Trail’s upcoming Amistad Trilogy. This series of programs will dive into the legacy of the Amistad saga in Connecticut and beyond. Explore some of the lesser known or untold sides of the story, and discover the countless ways the Amistad is remembered today!
Episode 3: Lessonsof the Amistad: Through the lens of an African-Centered Woman
Discovering Amistad is a nonprofit educational organization that owns and operates the Amistad Freedom Schooner, a 129 feet re-creation of the original ship. Discovering Amistad teaches the lessons of the 1839 Amistad Uprising to advance racial and social justice today. The schooner is Connecticut’s flagship and serves as a floating classroom for children of all ages. The Amistad is a national treasure, and the only tall ship that is a monument to freedom.
Paula Mann-Agnew, Executive Director of Discovering Amistad, will explore specific themes of the 1839 Amistad story that are still prominent and relevant today. Special emphasis will be made on resiliency, freedom, self-awareness and activism. She will share insight and cultural relevance through her African-Centered female experience. Information will also be shared about the programs of Discovering Amistad and the 2023 itinerary for ship tours through Connecticut and New York.
Register: https://bit.ly/CFT2023LessonsoftheAmistad
