My Freedom is a Privilege That Nothing Else Can Equal: New Research Into the Life of Venture Smith.  Co-sponsored with the Waterford Public Library

Wednesday, February 8, 2023
Waterford Public Library

6:15 p.m.           Refreshments
6:45 p.m.           Business Meeting
7:00 p.m.           Program

Elizabeth Wood from the Stonington Historical Society will talk about new research on the life of Venture Smith, the slave who bought his freedom. She will discuss the grant process and putting together a team of professionals for Research, Archaeology, and the final exhibit itself.  She will address the findings, but also talk about why this story is important locally and nationally. She will talk about the impact they have seen from this exhibit including record-breaking visitation and the responses from visitors – both children and adults.

Elizabeth Wood is a lifelong student of history and is a graduate of Connecticut College where she received a BA with honors in American History in 1997 (and an award from the AAUW).  Always attracted to the material culture of museum collections, her first museum job was at the Mystic Seaport Museum where she gave hands- on children’s tours. Subsequent positions at the New London County Historical Society, the Connecticut Historical Society, the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center and the Stonington Historical Society. She has worn many different hats -docent, archives, programs, development, and more.