The Progressive Action Roundtable mission is to inform the greater New Haven community about the activities of many progressive groups, so that people may learn about them and become involved in discussions and actions on issues for the common good, such as peace, health, racial equity, justice, clean energy and the environment.
Consider Radical Connecticut: People’s History in the Constitution State, written by Andy Piascik and Steve Thornton.
To get a copy, please send $25 ($20 plus $5 shipping) to:
Andy Piascik
25 Cartright St. PH-C
Bridgeport, CT 06604
by New Haven Museum
The reconceived exhibition “Amistad: Retold” takes a new angle on the familiar story of the Amistad, centering [on] the people who led the revolt and their collective actions to determine their own lives. It also foregrounds New Haven as the site of their incarceration and organizing by Black and white abolitionists.
The 1839 Amistad Revolt was led by 53 West African captives who were being trafficked from Havana’s slave markets on the schooner La Amistad after being kidnapped from their homelands, despite European treaties prohibiting the Atlantic Slave Trade. The Museum notes the diversity of the Amistad captives—their multiethnic, multilingual, and economic backgrounds, with trades that ranged from rice farmer to blacksmith, in addition to weavers, hunters, and merchants.
Incarcerated for nearly 19 months in New Haven, the Amistad captives worked closely with anti-slavery activists who formed the Amistad Committee and connected with networks of engaged citizens to organize and fundraise for their legal defense. Artists, particularly those based in New Haven, gave representation to the movement by creating engravings and paintings that enabled the public to envision the circumstances of the captives and recognize their individuality and resolve in protecting their freedom. A number of those significant works made their way to the New Haven Museum collection.
Visitors will be immediately surprised by the new visual experience of the gallery – its vibrant colors, transformation of the space, as well as a new acquisition – the color serigraph of artist Jacob Lawrence’s “Revolt on the Amistad,” created in 1989 to commemorate the Amistad Revolt sesquicentennial. A cover image from a Golden Legacy comic book offers a 1970s pop-culture adaptation of NHM’s iconic Sengbe Pieh portrait, which was painted in 1840 by Nathaniel Jocelyn at the time of the trials. The painting has returned to view after two years, following its inclusion in “Afro-Atlantic Histories,” a major traveling exhibition organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
In response to questions and comments from students and teachers during workshops, the new exhibition includes a large-scale map that charts the voyages of the Amistad rebels. The map provides context about the continual resistance to the slave trade in West Africa and across the Atlantic, as well as the changing Trans-Atlantic politics in the years preceding the Amistad Revolt in 1839.
This article can be read in its entirety at www.newhavenmuseum.org/education/current-exhibitions. The New Haven Museum is located at 114 Whitney Ave.
The Elm City LIT Fest is now the Kulturally LIT Fest, back for their 5th annual celebration on Saturday, October 5th from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. In continuing with the #YearofBaldwin, this year’s LIT Fest will focus on the works of James Baldwin, as Kulturally LIT continues to commemorate his centennial year and look beyond.
Held on the ConnCat campus at 4 Science Park, the Kulturally LIT Fest: Baldwin Forever will be a vibrant celebration of the centennial year of James Baldwin, one of the most influential voices in Black literature. This day-long festival will immerse you in Baldwin’s enduring legacy through engaging panels, hands-on workshops, and powerful performances. Explore a diverse marketplace featuring local vendors, connect with fellow literature lovers, and be inspired by the words and wisdom of Baldwin in this unforgettable celebration of Black literary excellence. RSVP online at https://tinyurl.com/2xb6eweu or email read@kulturallylit.org for more information.
by Rory Martorana, NHFPL Public Services Administrator for Communications and Adult Services
Every few years, the New Haven Free Public Library (NHFPL) crafts a Strategic Framework—a roadmap of initiatives designed to bring our Mission, Vision, and Values to life. These frameworks are built on the insights and ideas shared by you—the residents of New Haven and visitors to NHFPL—to meet the city’s informational, cultural, and educational needs.
We need your help to make this project successful. Share feedback on what our community needs. Tell us what you love, what we might do differently, and your thoughts on new and innovative programs you would like to see at NHFPL. Your input will help guide our goals and services for the next three years.
Community Engagement Workshops Schedule for October:
Registration is required and refreshments will be served. Each workshop is limited to 25 participants. For more information and to register, call 203-946-8130, ext. 101.
Check our planning progress at http://nhfpl.org, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok @nhfpl for the latest updates, details on Community Engagement Workshops, and more. Let’s work together to create a better future for New Haven.
“Radical Connecticut: People’s History in the Constitution State” authors Andy Piascik and Steve Thornton will discuss their new book Saturday, June 15, beginning at 5 p.m., at Possible Futures Bookstore, 318 Edgewood Ave., New Haven. This is a free event and the bookstore is wheelchair accessible.
Celebrating its 15th year in 2024, The Great Give returns on May 1-2. This 36-hour, online, community-wide giving event was created by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven to raise visibility and resources for nonprofits serving Greater New Haven.
With more than 530 participating local nonprofits, you can find organizations and causes you care about to support in The Great Give 2024. Look through the list of organizations today, find your favorites and find new ones to support. Be ready to give during the 36 hours between 8 a.m. on May 1 and 8 p.m on May 2. Join thousands of others with a gift of $5 or more to support our community. Together we raise, together we rise! Go to www.thegreatgive.org for info.
by Andy Piascik and Steve Thornton
Radical Connecticut tells the stories of everyday people and well-known figures whose work has often been obscured, denigrated, or dismissed. …
Unlike a traditional history that focuses on the actions of politicians, generals, business moguls and other elites, this volume features workers, the poor, people of color, peacemakers, women, students, artists and others who joined the never-ending struggle for justice and freedom … a fresh look at history that can spark young people to engage in social justice work in an increasingly complex and dangerous world.
It can also be used as a guide for strategy and tactics useful to those who are engaged in today’s social struggles. Whether you are a veteran or a novice, Radical Connecticut reminds us that today—and down through the years—organizing is always worth the effort.
Purchase the book for $20 at Barnes and Noble, Powell’s Books, Hard Ball Press, and other internet bookstores.
The African American Women’s Summit brings together African American women’s organizations in the New Haven area. It focuses on the issues and concerns that affect the lives of African American families and communities.
The Annual African American Women’s Summit will be held on Saturday, March 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Dixwell Community Center (Dixwell Q House), 197 Dixwell Avenue, New Haven. The event is free to the public. This year’s theme is “AAWS Rocks the Vote 2024: Let’s Get Out the Vote!” A free continental breakfast and hot lunch will be served.
In addition to adult workshops, we will also have several youth workshops for ages 10 and up. Please contact Dr. Cynthia McCraven mccraven60@aol.com, Linda Jackson lindajackson0213@gmail.com, or Robin Wilson r.wilson02@snet.net if you have questions.
Lunarfest 2024: Year of the Dragon. Join us on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 10 a.m. on Whitney Avenue to ring in the New Year with our lion dance parade. After the parade, attend workshops, performances, and more at our partner venues. See our full schedule for 2024: www.yalechina.org/year-of-the-dragon/#schedule
by C. D. Carlson and Jahmal Henderson
December 14, 2023 NEW HAVEN, Conn.—Solidarity and joy filled the air, along with a determination to continue the struggle for justice, at the 2023 People’s World Amistad Awards held in New Haven on Dec. 10. Under the theme, “It’s an ‘Enough is Enough’ Moment—Time to Organize,” a diverse crowd of union and community leaders, grassroots activists, elected officials, and youth from across Connecticut came together at the annual event, which also marks the anniversary of the Communist Party’s founding….
Barbara Vereen and Ken Suzuki, leaders of Local 34, announced the 40th anniversary celebration of their union. Paul Seltzer, a leader of Local 33, announced to a standing ovation that the 3,000-member graduate workers union just signed a tentative agreement with the university for its first contract after a 30-year organizing effort.
[For an article on Local 33 and the new agreement: yaledailynews.com/blog/2023/12/08/local-33-and-yale-reach-historic-tentative-agreement]
The Amistad Awards bear the symbolic name of the 50 men of the Amistad … who broke their chains, fought their captors, and seized their freedom … and affirmed their freedom in a legal battle that reached the Supreme Court, a result of the Black and white unity forged in their defense.
In this spirit, the awardees are chosen because they embody solidarity against the politics of hate, bigotry, and division while embracing bold solutions to transform our country and put people, peace, and planet before profits.
The three working-class champions honored this year for their achievements and hard-fought struggles for dignity, unity, and solidarity were State Sen. Gary Winfield, Stacie Harris-Byrdsong, President of AFSCME Council 4, and Luis Luna, coalition manager of Husky 4 Immigrants….
Renowned jazz drummer and reggae percussionist Pheeroan akLaff and his band kept the energy upbeat during the event with lyrics calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and no war….
Following the awards presentation, event attendees stood in solidarity with members of the Blake Street Tenants Union, who revealed the fantastic results of their organizing, which has forced mega-landlord Ocean Management in New Haven to stop eviction proceedings, recognize the union, and negotiate a contract, now being finalized, that governs rent increases and protections. The Connecticut Tenant Union said they are organizing renters across the state….
Each awardee provided warnings from their organizations that the working class is confronting a period of fascist danger….
The event opened and closed with a call for a ceasefire in the ongoing Israeli war on Palestine, with those in attendance signing postcards to Congress demanding a ceasefire.
[Read the full article here: peoplesworld.org/article/peoples-world-amistad-awards-honor-connecticut-fighters-for-justice-and-solidarity/]
[For a video of the full event: www.facebook.com/CTPeoplesWorld/videos/338322185614918.]