African Americans in Westport

African Americans in Westport

In May I wrote about the opening of the Westport Historical Society’s exhibit “Remembered: The History of African Americans in Westport.” At that celebratory event I only saw a little of the exhibit. I knew there was much more to take in.

When my Baker’s Dozen Book Group finished reading Homegoing, we discussed the exhibit and decided to visit.

Our tour took place yesterday afternoon. Five members of the book group, with one accompanying niece and one friend from my Sister Grannies, came. The executive director Ramin Ganeshram was our outstanding guide.

The brochure that accompanies the exhibit says, “Today it is often said that Westport is not a diverse town – – and nor has it ever been. The latter statement is not true.” The exhibit sets out to correct that false impression.

There are two recent Westport incidents that stand out. First, the Unitarian Church installed our Black Lives Matter banner two years ago, and it was vandalized twice. Second, TEAM Westport’s essay contest topic of white privilege in 2016 brought an angry response from some in town and the wider audience.

Team Westport is the town’s diversity action committee and a community partner of the exhibit.

“Events like [these] offer unique opportunities to re-examine Westport’s history with diversify and race relations,” the brochure says.

Themes of the Exhibit on African Americans History in Westport

She explained that the exhibit is arranged by theme. The first section, Bound, describes the lives of enslaved people. The illustrations of the ships that carried the human cargo never fail to horrify me.

I’m sure you’ve seen them. Kidnapped Africans were packed in like sardines, lying on top of one another, for the journey. They were brought out once a day, the dead bodies removed, and the hold splashed with water to wash away the detritus of so many bodies.

The reproduction of a closet space where two enslaved sisters may have slept in a Westport house was in the section, Townsfolk. It would have been extremely cramped always, and dreadfully hot in summer.

The exhibit highlights, “the history of New England as a colony built with the labor of enslaved people.” The wealth of Connecticut today, like so much of the wealth in this country, is related to that free labor of past centuries.

I had not realized Connecticut was an anti-abolition state. But the Connecticut constitution, adopted in 1818, says it clearly. Even though there were free men of color in the state, they were not given the right to vote.

Enslaved people who were trying to escape avoided Connecticut, Ramin said, because of its reputation for capturing and returning those fleeing.

There were 241 enslaved people (I believe I have the number right) in Westport during the period before the civil war, and they were owned by prominent families. Many of today’s names of buildings, schools, and sections of town belong to those who were slave owners. Jesup, Hyde, Coley, and Sherwood are some.

There were also free African Americans in Westport early and more recently.

In the 1940’s into the 1960’s a group of African Americans lived at 22 1/2 Main Street, in downtown. When they asked to be considered for low cost housing that Westport was considering, they were told, if everyone else who wants it is satisfied, then you might be cosidered. They were not happy.

A month or so later, their area was burned. Police believed it was arson. There were no repercussions and the people who had lived there moved to Bridgeport or Norwalk.

Judy Hamer on “This is Your Life”

Our own Judy Hamer, member of the book group and the Sister Grannies, and a contributor to the exhibit, is presenting a program next Friday called “This is Your Life.” The public is invited, as the website says, “to hear an extraordinary story of an extraordinary woman.”

And I can’t go! Our Unitarian Church board is having a weekend retreat, beginning that Friday evening! If you are in or near Westport, I recommend it highly. I have heard Judy speak before, and of course have lots of conversation with her in TEAM Westport and our two shared groups.

The final section of the exhibit includes a signed program from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s visit to Westport in 1964 when he spoke at the 5th anniversary of Temple Israel.

I would like to go back again. I’d love to take my daughter and son-in-law. It’s staying open until December this year, so schools can arrange visits. I think grandchildren Kenechi and Nkiru would like it too, and Kenechi’s girlfriend Mary.

Let me know if you go, and please share your impressions.

Labor Day and the Prisoners’ Strike

Have you heard about the prisoners’ strike under way now? In 17 states and parts of Canada, prisoners are striking to protest working conditions. This article about the prisoner strike explains their reasons.

They say prison labor is modern slave labor with another name.

Low pay and forced labor are just two aspects of incarceration in the US today that need attention and repair. Your thoughts?