Black History Month

This week PBS TV premiered African American Lives 2, a four part (two 2 hours shows) series that is a followup to a two part series previously shown. It was an excellent program that all people can watch to learn about how family history is significant to the lives of all of us. There is an excellent teachers page on this at PBS.org for teachers to use in the classroom.

There is more than one freed slave buried in the cemeteries where my ancestors are resting. Some have very simple grave markers and some may be just buried with a fieldstone (which is an uncarved rock) as was the custom of the day. Families often buried members of their households (black and white) in their family cemeteries, especially children of servants or family members who worked the farms. You can imagine that it is hard to identify and research these people.

But, there is one gravestone that is so amazing that everyone should see it. Quash Williams, his wife Hannah and a married daughter are buried in the Whitehall Cemetery in Mystic, CT.

The local newpaper has researched his life and written about it for the school children to learn about. Quash was indeed, quite a character and should be remembered for his accomplishments.
"Old Quash was truly an example, and by it, yet being dead, he speaketh.”