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Witness Stones

Country School 8th Graders have scoured long-buried records stored in local archives to piece together a more complete history about the role of enslavement in Madison.
Growing up in New England, the stories we hear about slavery in our region tend to focus on abolitionists and the Underground Railroad. Since the 2019-2020 school year, Country School 8th Graders have sought to tell a more complete and accurate narrative, one capable of restoring the history and honoring the humanity and contributions of enslaved individuals who lived in and helped build our local community.

Unforgotten: Connecticut's Hidden History of Slavery

As part of the Witness Stones Project, the Class of 2024 researched the life of Tome, a man who was enslaved by the Grave Family in present day Madison. The students presented their findings to the public in December at Deacon John Grave House. CT Public was on hand to record their presentation and interview a few students about this project. CT Public features our 8th Grade students in their series Unforgotten: Connecticut’s Hidden History of Slavery. 

  • 1

    "Having the opportunity to research an unknown person from our own community has given me a deeper understanding and appreciation for what historians do. Telling Tamar's story has also given me a different perspective on what I see as the American identity."

  • 2

    "This project has given me an opportunity to learn about someone who did great things, but no one recognized her for it. It has given us the opportunity to uncover her life's story."

  • 3

    "This project has taught me so much about the history of the United States. It has also taught me that history is always changing and there is so much that we don’t know yet, and so much that we probably never will."

  • 4

    "Working on the Witness Stones Project has helped me realize that everyone has an interesting story that deserves to be told. When Tamar was alive, she was probably seen as an ordinary person, but this does not make her life any less valuable…. I wish that she was still alive so that I could thank her for what she has taught me."
Working with the Witness Stones Project , students spend weeks scouring and interpreting 200+-year-old primary and secondary source documents buried in local archives, seeking to learn about these long-ignored histories. Once their research is concluded, they work to piece together a biographical narrative and then write poetry and/or create visual art as they attempt to honor the humanity of their subjects. The project concludes with a public ceremony and the installation of a permanent brass marker so that others can learn about the unsung individuals who helped build the town we know today.

Students and teachers at The Country School look forward to continuing this project in the years ahead as, each year, 8th Graders continue their mission to restore the history and honor the humanity and contributions of enslaved individuals in town. Learn more TCS Witness Stones, a  student-created website for the project.

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341 Opening Hill Road, Madison, CT 06443
P. 203-421-3113  |  F. 203-421-4390  |  Health Office F. 860-469-2550
Founded in 1955, The Country School is a coeducational, independent school serving students in PreSchool-Grade 8. The Country School is committed to active, hands-on learning and a vigorous curriculum that engages the whole child.