Eastern Connecticut State University

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Eastern to host conference on people of color in Connecticut's Revolutionary era

by Michael Rouleau

Willimantic, CT (09/09/2025) — Eastern Connecticut State University will host a history conference titled "Present from the Start: People of Color in Connecticut's Revolutionary Era, 1763-1836" on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Student Center. The conference is free and open to the public, including breakfast refreshments and lunch. Registration is required (see below).

"Present from the Start" will feature a myriad of panels, digital projects, and poster presentations exploring the critical roles played by African Americans, Indigenous peoples, and other communities of color in shaping Connecticut's Revolutionary-era past.

The event is co-sponsored by Connecticut Explored, Inc., the Center for Connecticut Studies, Eastern's Department of History, and the Association for the Study of Connecticut History.

"As we prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution [on July 4, 2026], it is important to look back and recognize the contributions from all 'Connecticuters,' especially those who have been overlooked in the past," said conference co-organizer and history Professor Thomas Balcerski. "Accordingly, the conference will place a spotlight on people of color in Connecticut's Revolutionary past."

Keynote Speaker

The conference's keynote lecture will take place from 9:15-10:15 a.m., featuring Catherine Johnson Adams, associate professor of history at SUNY Geneseo. Adams is the co-author of "Love of Freedom: Black Women in Colonial and Revolutionary New England" (Oxford University Press, 2010) and is a noted scholar of African American history, women's history, and material culture.

Conference Highlights

  • The daylong program will feature roundtables, panels, and exhibits that address themes such as:
  • African American religious, educational, and revolutionary experiences
  • The role of women as enslavers and the lives of enslaved Black women
  • Indigenous communities during the Revolutionary War
  • Maritime connections and men of color at sea
  • The transition from slavery to abolition in New England
  • Archival and museum-based projects on "Patriots of Color"
  • Lunchtime exhibits featuring poster and digital projects

Notable presenters include faculty and student scholars from Eastern and Central Connecticut State Universities, the University of Hartford, the University of Connecticut, the Museum of the American Revolution, and the Connecticut Museum of History and Culture.

Closing Remarks and Tours

The conference will conclude with remarks by Dr. Stacey Close, professor of African American History at Eastern, who will reflect on "The Legacy of Dr. Lorenzo Greene." The closing remarks will take place at 3 p.m., followed by an optional tour of Eastern's Center for Connecticut Studies in the J. Eugene Smith Library at 4 p.m.

More Information and Registration:

  • Conference website: https://www.ctexplored.org/conference2025/
  • Conference program: https://www.ctexplored.org/programpresent-from-start/

Co-organizers:

  • Kathy Hermes, CT Explored: publisher@ctexplored.org
  • Thomas Balcerski, Professor, Eastern Connecticut State University: balcerskit@easternct.edu

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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving upwards of 4,000 students annually on its Willimantic campus. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 68 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal arts foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 25 public institutions in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its 2024-25 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 15 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.

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