Slavery and Freedom in Fairfield County, 1700-1850

Co-curators: Peter Hinks, Ph.D & Stacey Danielson
October 15, 2004 to April 17, 2005

This exhibtion introduced slavery in 18th century Fairfield County, Connecticut, a prosperous agricultural region of New England tied closely to merchants and slavery in New York City. Unlike southern plantations where segregated quarters for slaves were commonly maintained, slaves and masters in Connecticut households lived and worked in close proximity. This pioneering exhibition highlights this troubled intimacy and the important role of the enslaved to Fairfield County's economy. It also examines how the enslaved's dedication to freedom spurred their gradual emancipation in the county and the young state.

Rare objects, historic documents and images, and audio transcripts from the collections of The Connecticut Historical Society Museum, Connecticut State Library, The Amistad Foundation at the Wadsworth Atheneum and other historical societies in Fairfield County were featured. INTIMATE STRANGERS invited the visitor to explore how Fairfield County residents perpetuated or fought slavery and to consider why slavery in the North has been largely overlooked until recent scholarship began to recover its forgotten history.

This exhibition was made possible, in part, by a grant from The Connecticut Humanities Council and by the generous gift of Jean and David Wallace.