The 1776 Election of Hartford’s Black Governor
Author: Chris Menapace From 1749 to 1855, Black communities around Connecticut elected leaders, named “Black Governors.” Little information is available on the men who held the title of Black Governor, but there is evidence of at least 27 individuals from 11 different towns, including Farmington. This position of leadership among free and enslaved black people was not unique to Connecticut. Black Governors, sometimes referred to as Black Kings, were elected in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire; yet Connecticut had…
