Ad announcing reward for runaway slave, 1803

Ad announcing reward for runaway slave, 1803 – Connecticut Historical Society and Connecticut History Illustrated

Slavery in Connecticut dates as far back as the mid-1600s. Connecticut’s growing agricultural industry fostered slavery’s expansion, and by the time of the American Revolution, Connecticut had the largest number of slaves in New England. After the war, new ideas about freedom and the rights of men brought about the movement to end slavery in the United States. In contrast to neighboring states, however, Connecticut emancipated its slaves very slowly and cautiously, claiming it wanted to ensure the process respected property rights and did not disrupt civic order. Connecticut passed the Gradual Abolition Act of 1784, but this act did not emancipate any enslaved persons, only those who would be born into slavery and only after they reached the age of 25. This gradual process meant that slavery in Connecticut did not officially end until 1848—long after many other Northern states had abolished the practice.

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Venture Smith's headstone

Venture Smith, from Slavery to Freedom

Smith’s account sheds light on the experience of enslaved and free blacks in 18th-century Connecticut.  …[more]

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