Over the past academic year, history teacher Rhonan Mokriski and his students at a high school in Salisbury, Ct have been pursuing a project-based learning course in public history focused on uncovering the lives of free and enslaved African American families in northwestern Connecticut. This blog chronicles that journey.
Come join us when students from the Searching for Slavery class, the UCC Norfolk, and the Norfolk Historical Society honor the life and legacy of James Mars by placing a Witness Stone down in his honor in front of the Norfolk Congregational Church this Saturday, May 1st, 2021 at 2:00 pm.
We will also be live-streaming here
Congratulations to the brilliant students in Rhonan Mokriski’s class for the incredible work they have done to honor the life of James Mars, an extraordinary African American citizen of Connecticut who achieved so much in his lifetime in spite of all of the restrictions and indignities that were placed on him throughout his life. He even wrote his own autobiography “Life and Times of James Mars: A Slave” which he published in1864. After 157 years this book should be required reading in ALL Connecticut schools! It is long overdue that we teach the complete history of Connecticut..the whole truth, not just the sanitized popular version. In his own words Mars said:
“Connecticut I love thy name but not they restrictions”.
Thank you again to Rhonan Mokriski’s class at the Salisbury School for leading the way in making James Mars Day a legal holiday in the State of Connecticut!