Westport Museum for History & Culture Press Release: 

On June 19th, 1865, Union troops, including the 29th Connecticut Colored Infantry Regiment liberated enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas. The 29th Connecticut Colored Infantry Regiment was organized at Fair Haven, CT was there in Galveston, aiding the efforts to emancipate men and women still enslaved there. The end of enslavement that they helped enforced would become later known as “Juneteenth”

Fifteen men from Westport joined the 29th and Westport Museum Commemorates Juneteenth with a virtual program with weekend-long events including its popular downtown walking tour about the Hidden History of African American Westport and a performance featuring “Chronicles of Adam” living historian Dontavius Williams as Adam, a Blacksmith enslaved in the antebellum South.

“These family-friendly events present engaging opportunities to learn more about hidden histories both in our town and on the national stage,” said Westport Museum Chairperson Darcy Hicks. “Both the walking tour and the performance will leave you wanting to hear more.”

Based upon the Museum’s award-winning 2018/19 exhibit Remembered: The History of African Americans in Westport as well as ongoing research into Black life in the town the walking tour will be offered at both 10am and 2pm on Saturday, June 18th. Visitors may register for the tour at https://virtualhistorywestport.org/event/dw-black-stories-618/.

Dontavius Williams performance will take place virtually at 7pm on June 16th. This is a free event but attendees must register at https://tinyurl.com/WestportJuneteenth. 

“We’re thrilled to have Dontavius Williams with us for our Juneteenth celebrations,” said Ramin Ganeshram, Westport Museum’s for History & Culture’s Executive Director. “In addition to being an appealing and moving historic interpreter, he is a public historian whose work is based on sound scholarship.”

 Mr. Williams uses historical documents and primary sources to paint a picture with words and live action to bring to life the life of the enslaved community during the times of slavery. His first-person historical interpretation of an enslaved man called Adam is a composite created from various accounts and historical facts. Viewers of all ages will be thrust back in time to the 19th Century in Antebellum South Carolina and experience a first-hand conversation with Adam the blacksmith. This powerful performance has been deemed "life changing" and even "spiritual" by viewers young and old.