Month: December 2021

By Cliff McCarthy (A version of this story appears on the website “Freedom Stories of the Pioneer Valley” (https://freedomstoriespv.wordpress.com) and is used with permission.)   Angeline Palmer was a freeborn African American raised in the Amherst alms-house.[1]  Her mother died of smallpox in 1831 when Angeline was about two years old and her father, Solomon … Continue reading The Rescue of Angeline Palmer

By Marla R. Miller Jane Maria Robinson Scottron appears among the more than sixty dressmakers listed in Springfield city directory in the 1870-71 publication—coincidentally (or not) the first year that the publishers of the directory did not flag which of the city’s residents were “colored.”[1]  If you didn’t already know that the Scottrons were a … Continue reading Jane Maria Robinson Scottron

By Melissa Cybulski Peter was an enslaved man owned by Rev. Stephen Williams of Longmeadow, MA.  He appears several times in Williams’ diary from approximately 1755-1774.  He may appear as early as 1751, but it is difficult to parse out which “Peter” is being referenced in the diary since there was at least one other … Continue reading Peter, of Longmeadow

By Cliff McCarthy (An early version of this story appears on the website “Freedom Stories of the Pioneer Valley” (https://freedomstoriespv.wordpress.com) and is used with permission.) Thomas Thomas was a legendary figure in Springfield’s African American community.   He was a great story-teller and, as is often the case, his tales have been reported many times over the … Continue reading Thomas Thomas, of Springfield

By Cliff McCarthy A curious item in the Springfield Republican of 17 December 1831 drew some attention: MARRIED -- In this town, Thanksgiving eve, Mr. John White, of Hartford, to Miss Lucretia Nazro, daughter of Colonel Nazro, of the colored military corps of this town.[1] Who was “Colonel” Nazro and what was the “colored military … Continue reading Aaron Nazro, of the “Colored Military Corps”

By Christine Mirabal Sojourner Truth was a well-known African-American abolitionist and feminist who travelled across the country during the nineteenth century lecturing in support of the emancipation of enslaved people, women's rights, and other issues. She resided in Northampton, Massachusetts for about 13 years and it was during these years that her public speaking career … Continue reading Sojourner Truth