Norman Dorsen Lecture: Stories of Connecticut’s Black Patriots

Saturday, October 24   |  3 p.m. (reception to follow)

Author and genealogist John Mills will speak about the lived experiences of four Connecticut families: Prince Mortimer of Middletown, Robert (Robin) Starr of Danbury (later Cornwall), Job Lathrop of Norwich, and the three sons of London Wallace of Simsbury. Through these case studies, this talk traces how Black men served in the American Revolution while still enslaved—and how, in many cases, they returned home to bondage rather than freedom. Grounded in primary records and descendant-led research, this program reveals a powerful and often overlooked history of service, sacrifice, and resilience, challenging us to reconsider what patriotism and liberty truly meant for Black people in Revolutionary-era Connecticut. During the past year, Mr. Mills has worked with Cornwall Consolidated School’s sixth and seventh graders to research the story of Revolutionary War soldier Robert (Robin) Starr and his family.

John Mills is President of the Alex Breanne Corporation, a Connecticut-based non-profit. The Alex Breanne Corporation focuses on research, interrogation and presentation of lesser known stories of the American enslaved. John unearths little known people with the intent to inject them into the landscape of the communities where they lived, worked or died. He then finds current-day descendants and returns their history to them.

This lecture is funded by an endowment gift from the late Norman Dorsen, a leading academic and civil liberties lawyer, who was a longtime resident of Cornwall.

Pre-registration is required (space is limited).

*Please note the new date of Saturday, October 24 (previously October 10).