Unforgotten is a cross-platform series and podcast chronicling 黑料吃瓜网's ties to slavery. Learn more.
When people think of slavery in the U.S., many think of the South. But slavery happened in the North 鈥� and throughout New England, including 黑料吃瓜网.
In fact, 黑料吃瓜网 was the last New England state to formally end slavery. Slavery didn't legally end in 黑料吃瓜网 until 1848 鈥� just 13 years before the start of the Civil War. Thousands of people were enslaved in 黑料吃瓜网. Thousands more were enslaved across New England.
It鈥檚 history that many of us didn鈥檛 learn in school.
黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 journalists wanted to explore this history: What happened, why it happened and why it matters today. It led to nine months of reporting, which resulted in our special series, Unforgotten: 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 Hidden History of Slavery.
We鈥檝e interviewed dozens of people: historians, experts, volunteers, families, students and teachers. They helped us tell the stories of some of the men, women and children who were enslaved.
People affiliated with a variety of groups have helped us find these stories 鈥� including volunteers with , an educational initiative that aims to 鈥渞estore the history and honor the humanity of the enslaved.鈥�
Various academic studies, books and media reports in recent years have shed light on slavery in New England. So we realize that some are already familiar with our region鈥檚 history of slavery. But we also know that many are likely not aware of these stories.
We wanted to feature people talking in their own words about what the state鈥檚 history of slavery means to them. We talked with descendants of men and women who were enslaved in 黑料吃瓜网. We interviewed them in or near the places where their ancestors lived, worked or are buried.
Reporter/producer Diane Orson initiated this series. Through her work as a musician, she had learned about Sawney Freeman, a musician and composer who was once enslaved in 黑料吃瓜网; she had an opportunity to play his music. (We feature him in the fourth story in our series.)
While the 黑料吃瓜网 content team mostly mirrors the state鈥檚 demographics, many of the journalists involved in this series are white. We were mindful of that. We were intentional in centering our reporting on people of color and experts of color. We asked journalists of color to review the stories and offer feedback. We also worked with Frank Mitchell as an editorial consultant for this series. Mitchell is a and on the board of directors for CT Humanities. We turned to him for guidance as we reported and edited the stories. 黑料吃瓜网 paid him a nominal fee for his consulting efforts.
Our series includes several videos and a television special; in-depth radio features, a radio special and a podcast; and digital storytelling and social media elements. We鈥檙e also hosting a .
As Adrienne Joy Burns, a public historian, tells us in our first story, learning about this hidden history is beneficial: 鈥淏ecause it helps us to understand how we got here. And that's the important part, because that's what we can change. We can change it when we understand it.鈥�
As you read, listen or watch the stories in this series, we invite you to share your feedback with us. Send us an email at unforgotten@ctpublic.org.
Thank you for taking the time to explore this history.
鈥� Eric Aasen, executive editor, 黑料吃瓜网
Read more from Unforgotten: 黑料吃瓜网's Hidden History of Slavery
Chapter 2: 鈥楾his is my country': A family learns their ancestors were enslaved in 黑料吃瓜网
Resources
Featured in this series
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Books
"Complicity: How the North Promoted, Prolonged, and Profited from Slavery," Anne Farrow, Joel Lang and Jenifer Frank, Ballantine Books
"African American 黑料吃瓜网 Explored," edited by Elizabeth Normen, with Stacey C. Close, Katherine J. Harris and Wm. Frank Mitchell, Wesleyan University Press
"Disowning Slavery: Gradual Emancipation and 鈥楻ace鈥� in New England, 1780-1860," Joanne Pope Melish, Cornell University Press
"Yale and Slavery: A History," David Blight with the Yale and Slavery Research Project, Yale University Press
"Venture Smith鈥檚 Colonial 黑料吃瓜网" (recommended for grades 5-8), Venture Smith, Elizabeth Normen, 黑料吃瓜网 Explored
"The Freedom Business, including a Narrative of the Life & Adventures of Venture, a Native of Africa," poems by Marilyn Nelson, Wordsong
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Credits
Reporter/producer: Diane Orson
Senior director, visuals and television production: Julianne Varacchi
Executive editor: Eric Aasen
Digital editor: Patrick Skahill
Editor, local news programs and podcast: Cassandra Basler
Editorial consultant: Frank Mitchell
Video editing: Ayannah Brown, Ryan Caron King, Mark Mirko, Meghan Lyden
Videography: Ayannah Brown, Ryan Caron King, Mark Mirko, Dave Wurtzel
Motion graphics: Sam Hockaday
Audio: Glenn Goettler, Mike Larini
Social media: Sabrina Herrera, Francesca Fontanez and Shanice Rhule
Editing support: Erica McIntosh and Meg Dalton
Senior director, storytelling and radio programming: Catie Talarski
Chief content officer: Vanessa de la Torre
Senior director, Data and Digital Services Bureau: Susan Bell
Director, digital products and strategic integration: Christian Setterlund
Director, digital projects: Bill Sencio
Digital producer: Jessica Gonnella
Chief digital officer: Lauren Komrosky
Vice president, community engagement: Lucy Nalpathanchil
Feedback
Share your thoughts on the stories in this series via email at unforgotten@ctpublic.org.
