Wallingford Celebrates Juneteenth with Dedication of Witness Stones

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Liz Lightfoot, Chris Menapace, Kristin Liu, Amy Foster, Jane Smith, and Dennis Culliton pose outside St. Paul’s Episcol Church in Wallingford on Sunday, June 19, 2022, to celebrate the dedication ceremony of the Witness Stones of Esau and Grace, who were enslaved by the Brockett family in honor of Juneteenth. | Nicole Zappone, Record-Journal.

WALLINGFORD — It was a sunny and breezy day Sunday, and especially busy at the Historical Society’s Nehemiah Royce House, where locals recognized Juneteenth and honored the lives of enslaved men and women.

The Historical Society opened the doors at the Royce House, 538 N. Main St., to host the historical exhibit “Enslaved Wallingford,” which chronicles the experience of enslaved Black Americans in Wallingford between 1704 and 1840.

The opening of the exhibit was held in conjunction with the dedication of three Witness Stones — the first ones dedicated in Wallingford. The stones commemorate the lives of enslaved individuals.