In honor of Black History Month, Greenwich Historical Society shines a light on the contributions of African Americans and Indigenous communities to the two contentious conflicts in American history: the Revolution and the Civil War.
“African-descended and Indigenous communities have had an immense impact on our nation’s development,” says Lauren Ackerley, director of public programs and exhibitions for Greenwich Historical Society. “Our focus this month is on programs that will inform attendees about these communities and their essential role in early American history, as well as encourage engagement in exploring perspectives on their experiences and contributions to our society.”
Understanding Black and Indigenous Land- and Waterscapes in the Telling of History
February 8th: 2:00 – 3:15 pm virtual lecture
The second installment of a three-part lecture series, Reflections on the Revolution, sponsored by Sotheby’s International Realty, features an in-depth exploration of the lives of African Americans and Dawnland Indigenous people who resided in Greenwich during America’s fight for independence. The virtual lecture will be provided by Dr. Akeia de Barros Gomes, director of the Center for Black History at the Newport Historical Society and visiting scholar and adjunct lecturer at Brown University’s Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice.
“Black and Indigenous communities in the Dawnland (New England) have been profoundly impacted by colonialism, slavery and dispossession—however the sum of our stories is greater than this,” says Dr. Gomes. “Our stories go back millennia. And in the face of colonialism, we survived, we maintained culture, we maintained community, and we maintained our spirituality. We are still here.”
To register for the virtual lecture: https://greenwichhistory.org/event/understanding-black-and-indigenous-land-and-waterscapes-in-the-telling-of-history/. Ticket purchase includes admission to the Historical Society’s current exhibition Greenwich During the Revolutionary War: A Frontier Town on the Front Line, on view through June 2025. For more information, visit https://greenwichhistory.org/rev-war/.
Douglass Day Transcribe-a-thon: Let’s Do History!
February 14th: noon – 3pm
Permanent Collections Gallery
In partnership with the League of Women Voters of Greenwich and the YWCA of Greenwich, the Historical Society invites area residents to join a national transcribe-a-thon to learn about Black history through the lens of Frederick Douglass, the father of the Civil War’s abolitionist movement.
Organized by The Center for Black Digital Research, the event has been held annually since 2017 with a goal of preserving Black intellectual history. Thousands of people throughout the country will gather at local venues to transcribe documents and memorabilia, including diaries and speeches related to Frederick Douglass and other Black historical figures, which are housed at the Library of Congress.
Greenwich participants will transcribe the archival materials in the Historical Society’s Permanent Collections Gallery where they will be linked with national attendees via a live stream. The three-hour program will feature talks on African American history and a Great Douglass Day Bake Off Competition to celebrate Douglass’s birthday and legacy. The entire event will be broadcast live from the Douglass Day website. The transcriptions will be made available from the website as part of a collection of Black history and culture.
Interested participants should bring their computers and tablets to access the archival material. Staff will be available to assist in the interactive event. For tips and tutorials on how to transcribe: https://douglassday.org/transcribe-2025/.
To register: https://greenwichhistory.org/event/douglass-day-celebration-2025/
