Resources for History Day.
These are only examples.
Please be advised that some of these resources--particularly those created in previous eras--contain descriptions for ancestral, racial, ethnic, and gender identity that may be offensive or harmful to individuals investigating these records, and are considered inappropriate to use in modern times. The descriptions and treatment of historically marginalized groups, women, and animals may be upsetting. Also, please note that inclusion in this subject guide does not necessarily constitute endorsement of the views therein--we encourage investigators to use their own judgment when evaluating books, websites, articles, documents, and other resources.
These are examples of some of the resources available from the Connecticut State Archives.
Much of this information is not available online. It is recommended to contact the History & Genealogy desk before coming to visit, as items need to be pulled from secured collections.
These are a few examples of items found at the Connecticut State Library (CSL), with a focus on unique items.
Selected items to highlight our collection.
Freedom by the Sword by 
Employment of Negro Troops
Integration of the Armed Forces, 1940-1965 by 
A Different Mirror by
Lib Guides: "Describes the immigrant experiences of Japanese, African, Irish, and Jewish Americans, exposing the abuses suffered by Native Americans, slaves, and workers who built the country."
Five Black Lives by
LIBGUIDES: "Five Black Lives is a collection of ex-slave narratives which spans 150 years in time, from 1729 to 1870, and some thousands of miles in geographical area from Africa to Connecticut. The autobiographies include the lives of Venture Smith, a native of Africa who ended his days as a resident of East Haddam, Connecticut; James Mars, born a slave near Norfolk, Connecticut in 1790, and freed at twenty-five by state law; William Grimes, a native of Virginia, who became Connecticut's first known runway when he arrived in New Haven about 1808; G.W. Offley, from Maryland, who was bought free by his father and later settled in Hartford; and James L. Smith, of Virginia birth, who escaped from slavery and settled in Norwich, Connecticut."--Victor B. Howard, The New England Quarterly
Black Roots in Southeastern Connecticut, 1650-1900 by These only a few suggestions. See also our complete list.
Many subscription databases require a card from the Connecticut State Library for remote access.
This HeinOnline database covers civil rights in the United States as their legal protections and definitions are expanded to cover more and more Americans. Containing publications from the Commission on Civil Rights, legislative histories on landmark legislation, briefs from relevant U.S. Supreme Court cases, and more.
Index to African-American and non-white minority troop enlistments from Connecticut during the Civil War taken from the original enlistment papers stored in the Connecticut State Archives.
This HeinOnline collection brings together a multitude of essential legal materials on slavery in the United States and the English-speaking world. This includes every statute passed by every colony and state on slavery, every federal statute dealing with slavery, and all reported state and federal cases on slavery. Our cases go into the 20th century, because long after slavery was ended, there were still court cases based on issues emanating from slavery. The library has hundreds of pamphlets and books written about slavery—defending it, attacking it or simply analyzing it, including an expansive slavery collection from Buffalo Erie County Public Library. This library will continue to grow, not only from new scholarship but also from historical material that we continue to locate and add to the collection.
From Gov. Lamont Press Release of 5/27/2022:
"Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, is the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. While the Emancipation Proclamation became effective on January 1, 1863, the news took time to make its way around the country. As such, it was not until June 19, 1865, when the Union army brought word of the proclamation to enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, making them among the last to be freed."
Conn. Gen. Stat. §1-4a (2022) eff. Oct. 1, 2022
Juneteenth became a federal holiday on June 17, 2021. P.L. 117-17, June 17, 2021; 5 U.S.C. §6103(a)
This section focuses on slavery in what is now U.S.A. Resources might be listed in other sections - such as, for example, Amistad.
First check our research guide:
Then check under the Law & Courts page.
See page under Law & Courts
Both African Americans serving in the military and their interactions with military.
Freedom by the Sword by 
The Negro in the American Revolution by Employment of Negro TroopsIntegration of the Armed Forces, 1940-1965 by Following the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Spanish American War in December of 1898, the United States took control of the former Spanish colonies of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.
These are not all the significant court cases. This guide is based on past History Day topics researched at the Connecticut State Library.
See also boxes for specific cases.
See also resources for Amistad, Prudence Crandall, and Sheff v. O'Neill
See other boxes and pages for items already listed.
African American Women in the Struggle for the Vote, 1850-1920 by
LibGuides: "Rosalyn Terborg-Penn draws from original documents to take a comprehensive look at the African American women who fought for the right to vote. She analyzes the women's own stories, and examines why they joined and how they participated in the U.S. women's suffrage movement. Not all African American women suffragists were from elite circles. Terborg-Penn finds representation by working-class and professional women, from all parts of the nation, Some employed radical, others conservative, means to gain the right to vote. Black women, however, were unified in working to use the ballot to improve not only their own status, but the lives of black people in their communities. Following the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, state governments in the South enacted policies which disfranchised African American women. Many white suffragists closed their eyes to these discriminatory acts. Terborg-Penn shows how every political and racial effort to keep African American women disfranchised met with their active resistance until black women finally achieved full citizenship."
Please be advised that some of these resources--particularly those created in previous eras--contain descriptions for ancestral, racial, ethnic, and gender identity that may be offensive or harmful to individuals investigating these records, and are considered inappropriate to use in modern times. The descriptions and treatment of historically marginalized groups, women, and animals may be upsetting. Also, please note that inclusion in this subject guide does not necessarily constitute endorsement of the views therein--we encourage investigators to use their own judgment when evaluating books, websites, articles, documents, and other resources.
Connecticut State Library | 231 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106 | 860-757-6500 * Toll-free 866-886-4478
Disclaimers & Permissions | Privacy Policy | State of Connecticut Home Page
The State of Connecticut is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.