People of Color

Among those who built the textile mill towns of Connecticut were people of color. It was not until the very end of the industrial era that people of color were hired to work in the textile mills. Nevertheless, they contributed to the creation of the mill communities. Here are some of their stories.

Lyman Jackson, African American Cabinet Maker, and Clarissa Jackson, African American Wife and Barber

Caesar Hall, African American Civil War Soldier

John Q. A. Hall, Joseph A. Davis, Marvin Smith, John C. Harris, and James Buck, African American Civil War Soldiers

Joe Ginne, African American First Settler and Enslaved Man

Lianzo J. Sekater, Narragansett Civil War Soldier

Wong Goon, Chinese American Cook and Friend to Firefighters