February is Black History Month, so Alexander Lucius Twilight might especially be on your mind right now. At the Old Stone House, we strive to share the story of Mr. Twilight year round and not just during the month of February. Locally we celebrate Twilight for being a progressive 19th century educator, but his fame comes from being the first African American to earn a Bachelor’s degree from an American university and to serve on the Vermont State Legislature.
This month we will acknowledge black leaders in Vermont’s history who shared Twilight’s thirst for education. In part, the reason why we are able to tell so much of Twilight’s story is because his life is well documented. This is often not the case for other black historical figures, but their stories are no less worthy of celebration and acknowledgment this month and throughout the year.
This month’s online exhibit shares biographies of Black educators, scholars and legislators in Vermont’s history. They include George Washington Henderson, Martin Henry Freeman, William John Anderson, Mary Annette Anderson and Andrew Harris. Much like Mr. Twilight, we may never know the extent to which race affected their lives, but they likely faced discrimination in many forms. Regardless, their dedication to learning and education brought them successful careers in their disciplines.
In addition to view this months exhibit, we also encourage you to continue researching and learning about this individuals and black history in Vermont on your own this month and throughout the year.