Part 1 of 3 part series
February 11: Partus Sequitur Ventrum: The History of Slavery in America
The practice of slavery in the United States began in 1619, when 20 Africans were sold in Virginia. The economic potential of the New World encouraged the international trade in human beings, and by the 19th Century, the United States was becoming richer than any nation ever seen on Earth, largely based on the wealth generated by slavery and its attendant industries, like textiles, insurance, and commerce. Shedding the country of this practice would require a civil war, although its after-effects continue to plague the nation. Lutris will discuss the early days of slavery in America, how it fostered US wealth and power through the early 1800s, and the crisis that brought on the Civil War in 1861.
Use password: K43h?E.? to enter.
Part 2 of 3 part series
February 18: Connecticut’s African-American Soldiers
This talk will center on the 29th and 30th Connecticut regiments of African-American soldiers which saw valuable service in the war. The experience of these men, who served in the war with little more to anticipate from its ending than the chance to create future opportunities for others, is an inspiring story of courage and sacrifice.
Use password: Noble123! to enter.
Part 3 of 3 part series
February 25: “An American Dilemma:” African America after Freedom, 1865-present
Though freed in name in 1865, African Americans have faced severe limitations to full equality in the United States. This talk will examine the rocky road that has been traveled by African-Americans and the nation as a whole as a result of slavery and its after-effects. The Jim Crow South, the various currents of black activism, and the events and personalities that have made the civil rights struggle one that has taken on world-wide significance.