Alex Breanne Corporation founder and president John Mills will serve as the keynote speaker for the NAACP Norwich Branch 63rd Annual Freedom Fund Dinner on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at the Premier Ballroom at Foxwoods Resort Casino.

Mills is a public historian, genealogist, author, and filmmaker whose work focuses on recovering overlooked African American histories, reconnecting descendants with their ancestral stories, and restoring those histories to the public record. Through the Alex Breanne Corporation, he has led public-history, preservation, memorialization, and educational projects throughout Connecticut.

The invitation has particular meaning because of Mills' extensive work in Norwich, where his research has helped recover the stories of African Americans whose lives were shaped by slavery and freedom in the community. His book, The Narrative of Primus: A Lineage Woven into American History, traces the extraordinary story of Primus, an African man enslaved in Norwich, and generations of his descendants. In May 2026, the Alex Breanne Corporation also unveiled a mural in Norwich honoring Primus and Venus Armes and bringing their stories into the city's public landscape.

The NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner is an annual gathering supporting the organization's continuing work to advance civil rights, equality, and opportunity.

The evening begins with a social hour at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner and the program at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets and additional information:
NAACP Norwich Branch 63rd Annual Freedom Fund Dinner