Rhonan Mokriski Connecticut, Salisbury School, The Logbooks

“God Never Made a Slave”

Charlie Wilcox '21 James Mars’s Faith   Gowing up going to Catholic school for nine years and a Jesuit school for three, I learned a lot of history, but it was rarely Black History, and never Black History in my home state state. I’ve found that looking at slavery in this way is enlightening. Throughout all my research the man who had the most profound impact on me was James Mars: particularly how he was able to stay so faithful … Continue reading “God Never Made a Slave”

Susan Smith First Parish Brewster UU Reparations Task Force, Massachusetts, The Logbooks

First Parish Brewster UU (Mass.) Reparations

#Atlantic Black Box Blog Post #4 Here is the Sunday Service presented by our Reparations Task Force, minus some copyrighted musical selections we are unable to publish. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXA0dOJhh3E&t=24s The Reparations Action group of First Parish Brewster UU has developed a definition of reparations as it relates to our congregation. Reparations is a process of reconciliation … Continue reading First Parish Brewster UU (Mass.) Reparations

Rhonan Mokriski Connecticut, Salisbury School, The Logbooks

The Extraordinary Cesar Women!

The Cesar Women (L to R): Olive Cesar Peters, Nancy Cesar, Nancy Cesar, Mary Cesar Lassiter, and Mathilda Cesar Willams (ca. 1947ish). 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 … Continue reading The Extraordinary Cesar Women!

James King Connecticut, Research methods, Salisbury School, The Logbooks

The Library and Searching for Slavery

By James King, Library Director at Salisbury School James Mars didn’t complain of “many things,” but one thing troubled him his entire life: the lack of “opportunity to go to school as much as I should, for all the books I ever had in school were a spelling-book, a primer, a Testament, a reading-book called … Continue reading The Library and Searching for Slavery

Rhonan Mokriski Connecticut, Salisbury School, The Logbooks

A Deepening Lesson

(https://images.app.goo.gl/T3xTWF7ajq9xWFio6) Over the past academic year, history teacher Rhonan Mokriski and his students at the Salisbury School 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. By Caleb May '21, a senior at salisbury … Continue reading A Deepening Lesson

Lauren McCormack, Marblehead Museum Essex County Stories, Massachusetts, The Logbooks

Agnes, An Enslaved Woman’s Grave on Old Burial Hill, Marblehead, MA

By Lauren McCormack, Executive Director, Marblehead Museum, Marblehead, MA Agnes Russell is one of only three known burials of a Person of Color in Marblehead's oldest cemetery, Old Burial Hill. Her gravestone has been lost for over 40 years, but now there is a movement afoot to again mark her grave honorably while contextualizing her … Continue reading Agnes, An Enslaved Woman’s Grave on Old Burial Hill, Marblehead, MA

Jared Ross Hardesty Bibliographies, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Research methods, Rhode Island, The Logbooks, Vermont

Researching Slavery and Black Life in Early New England: An Introduction

By Jared Ross Hardesty Some of the most common questions I receive after giving a talk about my book or a workshop about slavery in New England concern research. Where do you start? What types of sources are available? How accessible are those sources? In this post, I hope to clarify some of these questions … Continue reading Researching Slavery and Black Life in Early New England: An Introduction

Katie McCarthy Connecticut, The Logbooks, Witness Stones Project

How to Bring the Witness Stones Project to Life

This 2020-2021 academic year marks the third year that my students at Kingswood Oxford in West Hartford have participated in the Witness Stones Project and it’s been the most inspiring and meaningful work of my teaching career.  It’s also been the most doubt-inducing, time-consuming work as well. Teaching about race, conducting the slow, laborious historical … Continue reading How to Bring the Witness Stones Project to Life

Penobscot Marine Museum Maine, Penobscot Marine Museum, The Logbooks

Sighting a Slave Ship: The Logbook of the ship CORINNE, commanded by John K. Stickney in 1853

Entry for December 31, 1854, while off Pernambuco, Brazil: “At 3pm passed a bark steering about S by W afterwards. Exch[ange] colors.  She proved to be a Buenos Ayrean.  She look rather suspicious, had “windsails” fore and aft.  Am inclined to think she was a “slaver.” 10am saw a vessel ahead standing same way, coming … Continue reading Sighting a Slave Ship: The Logbook of the ship CORINNE, commanded by John K. Stickney in 1853

Rhonan Mokriski Connecticut, Salisbury School, The Logbooks, Venture Smith

Venture Smith – A Story About a Hero

Over the past academic year, history teacher Rhonan Mokriski and his students at the Salisbury School 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. By Hurst Thompson '21, senior at salisbury school The … Continue reading Venture Smith – A Story About a Hero

Kathryn DiPhilippo, Executive Director, South Portland Historical Society Maine, The Logbooks

Captain Taylor and Captain Talbot made history in Portland, Maine

At the South Portland Historical Society, we have a seasonal rhythm that suits us. In the winter, it’s a perfect time for some research and fundraising; each spring, we mount a new exhibit and open our museum; summer and fall are always busy with our museum open every day; and as the holidays approach in … Continue reading Captain Taylor and Captain Talbot made history in Portland, Maine

Vana Carmona Maine, The Logbooks

Elizabeth “Mumbet” Freeman in Portland?!!

Many of us who have studied African American history in New England are familiar with Mum Bet, later to be known as Elizabeth Freeman.   While enslaved to a family in Sheffield, Massachusetts in 1781, she was the first to challenge the new state constitution, which proclaimed that “all men are born free and equal.” … Continue reading Elizabeth “Mumbet” Freeman in Portland?!!

Rhonan Mokriski Connecticut, The Logbooks

Learning Northern Slavery Through Twitter @SlaveryNorth

I have asked my students to summarize some of their first trimester's work in a blog post. Over the next week, I will share some of them on here. - RM My name is Simba Chen, I am a member of the Searching for Slavery class. My responsibility is to man the class twitter account. This trimester, I am … Continue reading Learning Northern Slavery Through Twitter @SlaveryNorth