2026 Fall Speaker Series | Stories of Connecticut’s Black Patriots

Join us to discover four Connecticut families: Prince Mortimer of Middletown; Robin Starr of Danbury; Job Lathrop of Norwich; and the three sons of London Wallace of Simsbury. As a genealogist and president of the Alex Breanne Corporation, a non-profit focused on research into the formerly enslaved, John Mills 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 talk 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.

About John Mills

John Mills is a trained genealogist and president of the Alex Breanne Corporation, a Connecticut-based non-profit dedicated to unearthing the lesser-known stories of the enslaved. His work focuses on research that injects these vital histories back into the landscape of the communities where they lived and worked.

About the 2026 Fall Speaker Series – Reflecting at 250

Join the Fairfield Museum for a series exploring how American history is interpreted and retold today now that the United States has marked the milestone of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Prominent historians will examine how storytelling shapes our understanding of history, highlight whose voices are amplified versus whose are marginalized, and offer contemporary perspectives on our nation’s past. Together, we will discover how the choices about what to remember—and what to overlook—shape national identity and ongoing debates about the American past and future.

Additional Lectures in the Series:

October 4 | The Will of the People | T.H. Breen

October 18 | From Liberty to Legacy: Exploring American Ideals in the Musicals 1776 and Hamilton | Michael Langlois

November 8 | Nobody Men: Neutrality and Loyalties in the American Revolution | Travis Glasson

Light refreshments provided.

Registration is required. $15 for Members; $20 for Non-Members; $75 for the series; $60 for Members.

Ticketing Policy

• No refunds will be given unless the program is cancelled by the Fairfield Museum.
• We do not pro-rate fees for missed days of the series.