Words from different languages were used as a connector to unite representatives from the American School for the Deaf, the Republic of Guinea and the U.S. at an event in West Hartford.
On Tuesday, the American School for the Deaf (ASD) in West Hartford welcomed representatives from the Republic of Guinea for a luncheon event.
“It is such a unique experience,” Executive Director Jeffrey S. Bravin said. “In three weeks, we were able to make all of this happened.”
The representatives joined Bravin, Princess Karen Chatman, West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor, representatives from the Republic of Liberia and many more to honor the heritage of Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima Ibn Sori.
The prince was captured in 1788 and sold into slavery. He was sent to a plantation in Natchez, Mississippi and remained enslaved for 40 years.
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American born Princess Karen Chatman is a descendent of the prince. She found out about her heritage from her grandmother.
“She wanted me to ensure that I knew what her history was,” she said. “And so, I continued that journey, through that oral history, and I just embraced it.”
The prince and his wife gained their freedom in 1828, but their family remained enslaved. The founder of ASD, Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, heard about this and set out to free his family.
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“The preservation of the legacy is very important,” Princess Chatman said. “The American School for the Deaf was one of the first schools to accept Black Americans or African-Americans when they were still in captivity.”
The link between both sides now reconnected in West Hartford.
“Even though it’s 200 years after the fact,” Bravin said. “We can still see those valuable connections. I am hopeful that this connection will continue and remain strong.”
The representatives from the Republic of Guinea said they plan to work together to find the tomb of the Prince in Liberia.
The American School for the Deaf has made a commitment to celebrate the bicentennial anniversary in 2028.
“I think we were all moved by the amount of history and connections made today,” West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor said. “One of the most inhumane things in our world turned into an incredible human act and how it created these connections here today is really inspiring.”
