On March 21st, 2026, John Mills will be presenting a lecture at Central Connecticut State University. The lecture is entitled, Stories of Connecticut's Black Patriots.

This presentation brings the lived experiences of four Connecticut families into focus: Prince Mortimer of Middletown, Robin Starr of Danbury, Job Lathrop of Norwich, and the three sons of London Wallace of Simsbury. Through these case studies, this talk traces how Black men served in the American Revolution while still enslaved—and how, in many cases, they returned home to bondage rather than freedom. Grounded in primary records and descendant-led research, this program reveals a powerful and often overlooked history of service, sacrifice, and resilience, and challenges us to reconsider what patriotism and liberty truly meant for Black people in Revolutionary-era Connecticut.

This lecture will be part of a larger conference focusing on America’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The conference will be entitled, “CT 1776.”

A registration link will be provided here once one is availabile.