Connecticut : Qui Transtulit Sustinet

Connecticut is the southernmost state in the New England region of the United States. As of the 2010 Census, it has the highest per-capita income, Human Development Index (0.962), and median household income in the United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capital is Hartford and its most populous city is Bridgeport. According to most historians, Connecticut’s first European settlers were Dutchmen who established a small, short-lived settlement called Fort Hoop in Hartford at the confluence of the Park and Connecticut rivers. Half of Connecticut was initially part of the Dutch colony New Netherland, which included much of the land between the Connecticut and Delaware rivers, although the first major settlements were established in the 1630s by the English. Thomas Hooker led a band of followers from the Massachusetts Bay Colony and founded Connecticut’s first recorded European settlement, Hartford, on the Connecticut River in 1636. The Connecticut and New Haven colonies established documents of Fundamental Orders, considered to be the first constitutions in North America. In January 1662, Connecticut was incorporated as a colony under an English royal charter. Connecticut is known as the “Constitution State”, due to its central role in the development of that document. It became a state on 9 January 1788. Although Connecticut is one of the richest countries in the world by per capita income, it suffers from persistent fiscal deficits. Connecticut generally ranks as the 29th most populous state in the United States, with 3,565,287 residents in 2010.

Connecticut is unusual among U.S. states in that it does not have a single city with a population over 100,000. The largest Connecticut city by population is Bridgeport, which has about 147,629 residents (2010 Census). Connecticut’s rural areas and small towns in the northeast and northwest corners of the state contrast sharply with its industrial cities such as Stamford, Hartford, New Haven, and Bridgeport located along the coastal Interstate 95 corridor. Many towns in northeastern and northwestern Connecticut center around a green, such as a village green, town green, or common. Connecticut’s government is modeled after the London-based Westminster system. The executive branch consists of the Governor of Connecticut and his or her lieutenant governor, who are elected on a joint ticket for four-year terms; there is no limit on the number of terms a governor may serve. The current governor is Ned Lamont. Connecticut has a bicameral legislature, the Connecticut General Assembly, consisting of the Senate (upper chamber) with 36 members, and the House of Representatives (lower chamber) with 151 members. Each district elects one senator and multiple representatives. Connecticut’s judicial branch consists of the Connecticut Supreme Court, which hears appeals from the state’s lower courts, and the Connecticut Appellate Court.

Connecticut has a long history of racism and discrimination against minorities, particularly blacks and Native Americans. In the early 1600s, Connecticut’s first settlers were Dutchmen who established a small settlement called Fort Hoop in Hartford. The Dutch colony of New Netherland, of which Connecticut was a part, was known for its tolerance of different religions and cultures. However, this tolerance did not extend to racial minorities. The English took control of Connecticut in 1662 and established it as a colony under an English royal charter. Connecticut’s constitution, adopted in 1662, guaranteed freedom of worship but also codified discrimination against blacks and Native Americans. Blacks were banned from voting and serving in the militia, and they were not allowed to own land or engage in certain occupations. Native Americans were not allowed to vote or hold office, and they faced restrictions on where they could live and what land they could own.

Racism and discrimination against minorities persisted in Connecticut well into the 20th century. Connecticut was one of the northern states that maintained Jim Crow laws, which enforced racial segregation in public places, until 1965. Even after the repeal of Jim Crow, racism and discrimination against minorities remained a problem in Connecticut. In the early 21st century, Connecticut’s black and Latino residents are more likely to live in poverty than white residents, and they are more likely to be unemployed or underemployed. Racism and discrimination continue to be major issues in Connecticut today.

Connecticut, one of the original 13 colonies, has a long and complex history when it comes to racism. From the arrival of European settlers in the 1600s to the present day, racism has plagued the state and caused harm to countless individuals and communities.

The first instances of racism in Connecticut can be traced back to the arrival of the Dutch and English settlers in the 17th century. These settlers brought with them a belief in white supremacy and a desire for power and control over land and resources. As a result, they often engaged in violent clashes with Native American tribes who had been living in the region for thousands of years.

One of the most notorious examples of racism in Connecticut occurred in the mid-1700s, when the state was deeply involved in the transatlantic slave trade. Connecticut merchants profited from the sale of enslaved Africans, who were forced to work on plantations in the southern United States. Many enslaved people were also brought to Connecticut, where they were subjected to brutal treatment and forced labor.

Even after the abolition of slavery in the United States, Connecticut remained a deeply segregated state. Black people were forced to live in separate neighborhoods and attend separate schools, and they were often denied access to good jobs and economic opportunities. The state was also home to several notorious incidents of racial violence, including the 1909 lynching of African American man William Johnson in New Haven.

During the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, Connecticut was the site of several important protests and demonstrations. In 1961, the Freedom Riders – a group of civil rights activists who were working to desegregate public transportation – were violently attacked by a mob in the town of Ridgefield. In 1964, the state passed the Connecticut Civil Rights Act, which outlawed discrimination on the basis of race, religion, and national origin.

Despite these important strides, racism continues to be a significant problem in Connecticut and throughout the United States. Black people and other people of color continue to face discrimination in housing, education, employment, and the criminal justice system. Hate crimes and incidents of racial violence are also on the rise.

SUNDOWN TOWNS IN CONNECTICUT

Sundown town, in U.S. history, a town that excluded nonwhite people—most frequently African Americans—from remaining in town after sunset.

Here is a current list of sundown towns in Connecticut. This list has been created by Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, MS. This list is a work in progress. Some cities have been confirmed as sundown towns and some are listed for other or similar reasons.

Beacon Falls

Bozrah

Burlington

Canterbury

Coventry

Darien

East Haven

Glastonbury

Greenwich

Hartford *

Kent

Lisbon

Litchfield

Madison

Middlefield

Montville

Moosup

Morris

New Fairfield

New Hartford

Old Lyme

Orange

Oxford

Plainfield

Portland

Ridgefield

Seymour

Sharon

Simsbury

Somers

Southington

Stafford

Sterling

Thomaston

Thompson

Unionville

Westbrook

Weston

Westport

Willington