Formerly enslaved residents of Hebron are being remembered. Community members gathered at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Hebron Sunday to honor their memory and celebrate Juneteenth.
The event featured the dedication of a memorial stone in honor of those formerly enslaved families. The stone now rests in the garden of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church.
The event was co-organized by the Peters family–descendents of the formerly enslaved Cesar Peters of Hebron. His story is one that resonates with the community to this day.
When a slave trader abducted Cesar and his family from Hebron in 1787, residents of the town fought to bring the family back.
After his return to Hebron, Cesar fought for, and eventually achieved emancipation for his family. The story obtained a designation for Hebron on the Connecticut Freedom Trail in 2007.
Saladin A. Hasan, a member of the Peters family, said the commemoration represents the fight against erasure.
“I appreciate us being honest about our history, not trying to hide it and bury it and pretend like things didn’t happen,” Hasan said. “As a descendent of a slave I appreciate that because that’s when healing comes and that’s when we start making reparations for things that were done wrong in the past.”
The memorial stone features a QR code which directs viewers to a page filled with the history and stories of all formerly enslaved Hebron residents.
Althea Carr, the director of the Coalition on Diversity and Equity (CoDE), helped organize the event. Carr, hopes Hebron residents recognize the significance of the memorial.
“I hope that many people will come to view the stone, listen to the story. I hope they will take pride in the fact that many years ago residents did their part in trying to help and save the Peters family.”
Carr also hopes that this act of remembrance will inspire community members to stand up for each other and work towards a more inclusive community today. This important connection to the present resonated with many in attendance.
“What it means and stands for is how far we’ve transitioned as a people from all the ugliness and the division” said Hasan.
The dedication was followed by a celebratory reception in the Parish Hall filled with storytelling, songs, and food for all community members in attendance.
