Inside the Barn Island Wildlife Management Area in Stonington stands a new sign honoring the life of Venture Smith, a formerly enslaved man who worked to buy his own freedom and the freedom of his family members.
“It is a testament of what one person can do if they are determined to make a difference in the world," said Susi Ryan, a ninth generation descendent of Venture Smith.
Venture Smith was stolen from his home in Africa, when he was a young boy, and brought to the U.S. to be sold into slavery.
“He was determined from the very beginning, even as a child, that he was going to be free again," said Dr. Karl Stofko, East Haddam's town historian.
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It took decades, Smith was sold from owner to owner, but he eventually bought his freedom in the spring of 1765.
We know Smith's story today because he documented it. "A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture, A Native of Africa: But Resident Above Sixty Years in the United States of America. Related by Himself." was published in 1798.
“The narrative is short but he made sure there was so much information put in there," said Ryan.
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In his own words, Smith said in the narrative: "Freedom is a privilege which nothing else can equal."
Smith purchased 26 acres of land in Stonington in the area that is now known as the Barn Island Wildlife Management Area. He got his start as a farmer there and was believed to have purchased the property so he could stay close to his wife and children who were still enslaved at a neighboring property.
Members of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, which manages the Barn Island Wildlife Management Area, installed a new sign on the land marking "Venture Smith's Freedom Site."
“It is a really impressive part of American history and we hope more people are learning about it," said a spokesperson for CT DEEP.
Smith's final resting place is in East Haddam, where he eventually moved to and became a successful businessman. Community members and descendants of Smith gather at his gravesite every September to celebrate Venture Smith Day.
“Reading between the lines he stood for equality. He stood for justice," said Ryan. "I am just very happy that his story has become part of American history."
