Celebrating Black History in Connecticut

While we dedicate the month of February to celebrate Black History, it can be honored year-round in many historic Connecticut landmarks and museums. 

Did you know that one of America’s most well-known abolitionists, John Brown, was born right in Torrington, Connecticut? Although his house was destroyed in a fire in 1918, the property, as well as a granite monument, is maintained by the Torrington Historical Society. In 1859, John Brown led the Harpers Ferry Raid, an effort to commence an armed slave revolt in the South by overtaking a United States arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia - an effort that has been recognized as a foreshadowing of the Civil War. The pikes used by Brown and his men were actually crafted by the Collins Company in Collinsville, Connecticut - and one can be seen on display at the Canton Historical Museum.

Honor the service of Connecticut’s first all-black military regiment with a visit to the 29th Colored Regiment Monument at Criscuolo Park in New Haven. The troop faced racism, discrimination, and lower pay than white regiments. Still, they fought courageously and were even the first infantry units to enter Richmond, Virginia after it was abandoned by the Confederate Army. The monument was dedicated in 2008 and beautifully commemorates the soldiers who contributed so greatly to both African American and American history.

Seek out the stones from the Witness Stones Project in Guilford. This project aims to honor and recognize the lives of enslaved people through stones that are placed in the location of enslavement and identify the enslaved person.

Explore the impact of Stowe's 1852 anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom's Cabin at the Stowe Center for Literary Activism in Hartford and engage with collections that belonged to Stowe and her family.

Did you know that the nation’s first boarding school for young African American women was right in Connecticut? The Prudence Crandall Museum's efforts for equal education helped affirm attitudes against slavery and ultimately won the founder, Prudence Crandall, a spot in the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame in 1995. 

Celebrate three centuries of Black strength, resilience, and accomplishment at New London’s Black Heritage Trail. Together, the sites tell a story about Black life in New London while tying into larger stories about enslavement, the Great Migration and the struggle for civil rights.

Check out all the fascinating Black History landmarks up close and in person by taking a look at the Connecticut Freedom Trail.

"A Legacy Revealed | Expressions of Hope" 2026 Black History Celebration
February 5, Mark Twain House & Museum

Black History Month Book Table
February 10, Yale School of Management

Black History Month Charley's Place Takeover
February 11, 12, & 13, Charley's Place

"A Legacy Revealed | United in Strength" 2026 Black History Celebration
February 19, Mark Twain House & Museum

Access for All Community Day | Black History Month at The New Britain Museum of American Art
February 21, New Britain Museum of American Art

Celebration of Black History Month through Art, Music, and Words
February 21, Veronica Hagman Concert Hall at Western Connecticut State University

Black Art in New Haven
February 27, Afro-American Cultural Center

Black History Month Jazz Night
February 27, Afro-American Cultural Center

Mystic Celebration of Black History Month
February 28, The Anchor (Corner of Route 1 and Holmes Street)