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- American Infamy
The Legacy of Japanese American Incarceration Following the Attacks on Pearl Harbor By Alexander Filippides Imagine, for a moment, the year is 1941, you’re an American citizen, as are your parents, but your grandparents, who have passed away, were born in the Japanese Empire more than half a century ago. … - They’re Still Here
Giving space and thanks for the cultural gift of our Native communities. By Ramin Ganeshram From the window of my office at the Museum, I can see the tops of the trees near the Saugatuck River a little over a block away. When the Bradley-Wheeler House was built, over two-hundred … - This 1970s Cult Inspired Abusive Teen Rehabilitation Methods Still Used Today
Researched and written by Nicole Carpenter, this article was originally published in Teen Vogue on January 8th, 2024. The news has been filled with exposés about aggressive rehabilitation programs using “tough love” to treat everything from addiction to “converting” LGBTQ+ people to a straight lifestyle. But the roots of these … - Where Are the Period Rooms?
New staff member, Sasha Arellano, remembrances of the museum and why the historically themed spaces were retired. When I applied to work at the Westport Museum for History & Culture in May of this year, I didn’t even realize it was no longer called the “Historical Society.” I remembered having … - Black History Month in Connecticut: Lessons About Race
The fight for equality of education—and for respect in the classroom for children and teachers of color—in Connecticut towns can be traced back nearly two hundred years. Entrenched social biases had long created de-facto segregation within the state’s education system. In 1831, the citizens of New Haven successfully fought the opening … - Fighting for Freedom: Black Soldiers in the Civil War and Connecticut’s 29th Colored Regiment
In 1863, Governor Buckingham authorized a bill calling volunteers to make up the 29th Regiment Colored Volunteers. - A Brief Glimpse into the History and Fashions of Gay Weddings
Connecticut became one of the first states to legalize gay marriage in 2008, but the fight for marriage equality in the U.S. continued. - I Thee Wed: Bridal fashion from the Collection
The white wedding dress is probably the most significant part of the scene but has this always been the case? - Bittersweet: Chocolate in the American Colonies
Caribbean foods like pineapple, allspice, and cocoa were precious to wealthy port families like Charleston, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston. - New Year’s Day Traditions
As with other cultures, certain traditions were followed on New Year’s Day in colonial America—many of which placed the day above Christmas as a festive day.
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