History Day - Rights & Responsibilities

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Woman Suffrage

1920 saw the passage of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote.

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The Connecticut State Library has a unique collection pertaining to the long struggle for LGBTQ rights in Connecticut: the Betty Hudson Papers, RG 069:175. Betty Hudson (1931-2016) was a politician and activist who was Connecticut’s first female state senator in the 1970s. Hudson championed both women’s and LGBTQ rights during her tenure in office. Among her accomplishments was introducing a bill guaranteeing equal rights to gay people, which, while it did not become law, was the first LGBTQ rights bill to pass any legislative chamber in the United States. After her time in office ended, Hudson lived in Simsbury with her long-time friend and companion, Fran Roberts. She passed away in 2016.

This collection contains both political and personal papers, including legislative records, photographs, publications, and more.

Redlining and Housing Discrimination in Connecticut

Redlining gets its name from "residential security" maps drawn by agents of the Home Owners Loan Corporation, a federal agency, between 1933 and 1940. On these maps neighborhoods would be grouped into four color-coded categories, with highly desirable neighborhoods shaded green and the least desirable neighborhoods shaded red.

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In the U.S., rights and responsibilities are granted by state and federal constitutions.

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Prudence Crandall

Prudence Crandall opened the Canterbury Female Boarding School, a school for girls and allowed girls of color to attend, thus creating what is believed to be the first integrated classroom. When White parents withdrew their children, Crandall decided to make the school for African American girls. For this she was arrested and brought to court.

For legal resources, see https://libguides.ctstatelibrary.org/hg/africanamerican/crandall

Sheff v. O'Neill

1989 lawsuit that lead to 1996 Connecticut Supreme Court case. Sheff v. O'Neill, 238 Conn. 1, 678 A.2d 1267. Settlement approved Jan. 10, 2020.

Elizabeth Horton Sheff filed on behalf of her son, Milo Sheff lead plaintiff (of 18 Hartford area school children), suing the State of Connecticut, constitutionally elected officials, including Gov. William A. O'Neill, and others from various state commissions and agencies.

See https://libguides.ctstatelibrary.org/historyday/Sheff-v-ONeill