DAY 16: PRINCES, PORTERS, AND PIES

Oil painting of Lucy Terry Prince

Today we celebrate Lucy Terry Prince, who was a poet in the 18th century. She was kidnapped in 1733 as a child from Africa and brought to New England. Yes, you’re right—this does sound eerily similar to the BHM Day 3 entry about Phillis Wheatley. Lucy was sold to a family in Rhode Island and then sold again when she was five to a family in Deerfield, MA. Eventually, she married a free Black man named Abijah Prince and they moved to Guilford, VT. They had six children, one of whom even fought in the Revolutionary War (Cesar). The Prince family were successful landowners, which drew the hatred of their neighbor, John Noyes, who had moved there from Connecticut. Noyes organized local mobs that burned down the Prince family farm, beat their farmhands brutally, and filed several frivolous lawsuits against the Princes. The Princes won every suit and successfully argued her case against Noyes and his conspirators. Noyes was never charged and went on to serve as a state legislator for years. In subsequent legal cases, Lucy successfully argued before the Vermont Supreme Court against some of the state’s top lawyers.

Lucy was known for being a storyteller and poet, and is most famously known for a poem called “Bars Fight.” This is believed to be her only surviving work, and was kept alive through oral tradition for years until it was published in an 1855 anthology. It is a ballad that describes an incident that took place in Deerfield on August 25th, 1746. On Day 3, we told you that Phillis Wheatley’s poetry book was the first known published literary work by a Black American person. Lucy Terry’s “Bars Fight” is believed to be the oldest known literary work by a Black American person. We say this with deep skepticism, because lack of achievement is not the same thing as lack of White people’s acknowledgment of an achievement. We look forward to continued discoveries of older works of art by history’s unsung creators of color.

You can read “Bars Fight” here (page 360 of the anthology): “Bars Fight” poem by Lucy Terry Prince

VT African American Heritage Trail

Cover image of the African American Heritage Trail Guide

Do you know whether there is a piece of Black history in your town? Vermont’s Black history is celebrated along the African American Heritage Trail, which links more than 30 beautiful and historically significant sites across the state and offers educational resources and a deep dive into Vermont’s Black history and culture.

The Vermont African American Heritage Trail is an initiative of Vermont Partnership for Fairness & Diversity in collaboration with the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing and selected local historical societies and museums.

Learn more about the trail and its sites by clicking here:

FIND A HISTORICAL SITE

By the way, do you recognize the face on this brochure? That’s Daisy Turner, from our discussion on Day 8

GLOBAL AFRICAN HISTORY TIMELINE

Speaking of Black history, take a look at this Black history timeline that goes back to 5 Million BCE. The timeline is searchable and can be exported to multiple file formats: Global African History Timeline

A Recipe for Success

Photo of sweet potato pie. Photo credit: Shaunda Necole

Photo of sweet potato pie by Shaunda Necole

As a teaser for tomorrow’s feature, we share this Sweet Potato Pie recipe with you. Sweet potatoes have a long history in the Black community in the U.S. and abroad. As explained by food blogger Ali Kirby, “the sweet potato became a staple of the black community as a result of its arrival by African slaves and forced relocation to the southern United States. yam has a long history in West African languages, dating back to the words nyami, nyam, and enyame, which mean “to eat.” yams have a significant role in the African diet, which is why they are so popular.”

We hope you give it a try and let us know how it turns out! To see the recipe, click the photo of the pie or click here: The Soul Food Pot

PERFECT PAIRING

If you like to cook to a soundtrack, check out this Tiny Desk performance by Lady Wray: Lady Wray Tiny Desk

Yesterday’s Pop Quiz

Yesterday, we asked you “Which of the following statements is FALSE about the Freedom Riders” Here’s how you answered:

The answer is D. (Educators, see just below this paragraph for a great learning resource). The Freedom Riders were 7 Black and 6 White people who boarded a Greyhound Bus in 1961 to test the new law that required integration in bus terminals. They planned to arrive in New Orleans on the seventh anniversary of the Brown v. Board decision. They experienced immense violence in most of the cities they went to, including having a bomb thrown into the bus when they reached Alabama. John Lewis was among the original thirteen Riders, and after they began their journey, more people joined them in solidarity. In fact, despite the violence from segregationists, they did have many supporters, such as the 1,000+ people who attended a special service held by Dr. King to honor the Riders. They did NOT begin in Memphis or end in Topeka; they began in Washington DC and their plan was to reach New Orleans LA, but they encountered growing violence along the way and by the time they were ready to leave Birmingham AL, they could not find a bus driver willing to take them any further.

Check out this cool, interactive map/storyboard on Google Earth to follow the Freedom Riders’ journey using satellite imaging: Follow the Freedom Rides

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s Pop Quiz question about one of the community’s most prolific inventors…

Coming up

Check out some of the events happening throughout Black History Month 2023.

TONIGHT 2/16 – “Soul Food: Honoring Black Voices in Music”

What: A late-night musical experience that “honors Black music of yesterday and today.”

Logistics: This free event is being held on Feb 16th from 9:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. at Club Metronome, located at 188 Main St. in Burlington. Learn more here: Soul Food

TOMORROW 2/17 – Black Artist Showcase

What: A space to share poetry and build community, featuring Black creatives.

Logistics: This event is being held twice: [1] On Friday Feb 10th from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Venetian Soda Lounge, located at 266 Pine St. Suite #122 in Burlington. [2] On Friday Feb 17th from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Kru Coffee, located at 2 Church Street in Burlington.

2/18 – Black History Month event at Rabble Rouser

What: A celebration of local Black performers and artists during an all-day function. The event will include a photo-story project titled ‘I Am Vermont Too;” performances from artists including Khalilah Rose, Freedom seeds, and Rajnii Eddins; a jewelry showcase by SoulSimone; Colombian food; and live music.

Logistics: This event is being held on Saturday Feb 18th from 2:00-10:00 p.m. at Rabble Rouser, located at 64 Main St. in Montpelier. Free to people of color; everyone else is encouraged to donate.

2/19 – “Sunbeam & the Pullman Porters” Virtual Tour of Restored Railcar

What: A virtual event featuring a tour of a restored 1903 Pullman railcar and a discussion on the role of Black Porters in the Pullman Company, the rise of America’s Black middle class, the formation of the Black labor movement, and the momentum for the Civil Rights Movement.

Logistics: This event is being held online on Sunday Feb 19th from 2:00-3:00 p.m. Admission is $10 for members and $15 for non-members. To register, e-mail stephanie@hildene.org or call 802-367-7960.

2/23 – Farmers’ Night: Alexander Twilight

What: At this event, “Middlebury Historian Bill Hart and others pay tribute to Rep. Alexander Twilight of Brownington, elected in 1836 as the nation’s first legislator of African descent.”

Logistics: This free event is being held on Wednesday Feb 22nd at the Vermont State House, located on State St. in Montpelier. Learn more here: Farmers’ Night

2/23 – The Rebel Women of Mathematics

What: A deep dive into the worlds of 30+ women who broke barriers and made their mark in STEM fields — from rocket science to computer programming. Hosted by professor, speaker, and PBS host Talithia Williams.

Logistics: This free event is being held online on Thursday Feb 23rd from 3:00-4:00 p.m. Register here: Registration for Rebel Women of Mathematics

2/25 – Black Children’s Books

What: A virtual event to “discover the latest books centering Black children's stories and celebrate the impact of real representation at this opening of a virtual ‘museum’ devoted to Black literature.”

Logistics: This event is being held online on Saturday Feb 25th from 2:00-4:00 p.m. Register here: Visit the Black Children’s Book Museum

2/25 – The Black Experience

What: This free event will feature discussions and panels with local artists and speakers, and a keynote presentation by iconic activist and scholar Dr. Angela Davis. There will also be a performance by the Philadanco dance company.

Logistics: This free event is being held on Saturday Feb 25th at 5:00 p.m. at The Flynn, located at 153 Main Street in Burlington. Learn more here: The Black Experience 2023

2/26 – “BIPOC Soul Food Sunday” in the NEK

What: An affinity space open only to people of color to experience entertainment from Toussaint St. Negritude and a photo booth by I Am Vermont Too. Attendees are encouraged to bring any kind of dish to share.

Logistics: This event is being held on Sunday Feb 26th from 1:00-3:00 p.m. at The Whirligig Brewing, located at 397 Railroad St. in St. Johnsbury.

This Week’s Raffle

Each week, we will draw 5 names from the list of those who signed up for this e-mail series. We hope you win (yes, you!). The drawings are random; we use the True Random Number Service, which will pick 5 numbers each week from the sign-up list. You don’t need to do anything from here—we’ll e-mail you if you’re a lucky winner.

This is an installment in the State of Vermont’s 28-day Black History Month e-mail series, offered by the Vermont Human Rights Commission and the Vermont Office of Racial Equity. The Human Rights Commission protects people from unlawful discrimination in housing, state government employment, and public accommodations. Learn more about the HRC here. The Office of Racial Equity provides guidance and oversight to identify and mitigate systemic racism in state government. Learn more about the ORE here. Did you receive this e-mail from a friend? Want to sign yourself up for the remainder of the month? Subscribe to this list here.

Copyright (C) 2023 State of Vermont Office of Racial Equity. All rights reserved.

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