This Memorial Day weekend, Connecticut residents will flock to the shoreline, raising umbrellas and spreading towels along the state's beaches.
Yet, behind this sunny imagery hides a somber history -- a story of coastal ownership and exclusivity.
This hour, University of Virginia professor and Free the Beaches author Andrew Kahrl joins us. We reflect on the impact of Connecticut’s private and restricted beaches and learn about a 20th-century crusade to unlock the state’s coast.
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Book Excerpt: Free The Beaches by Andrew Kahrl
GUESTS:
- Andrew Kahrl - Associate professor of history and African American studies at the University of Virginia; author of Free the Beaches: The Story of Ned Coll and the Battle for America’s Most Exclusive Shoreline (@andrewkahrl)
- Lebert Fitzgerald Lester II - Owner of It’s a Gee Thang Barber Salon & Spa in Hartford, Connecticut
READING LIST:
Kirkus: Kirkus Review: Free the Beaches - "The push for beach access spawned a nationwide movement: between 1964 and 1974, Kahrl discovered, 'federal and state courts decided at least twenty-six cases involving disputes over public rights on beaches' in which white communities argued vociferously for their entitlement. "
Chion Wolf contributed to this show.
