Reverence: Refocusing the Lens on the Marginalized [Virtual Lecture]

The Ancient Burying Ground Association presents Exploring Freedom, a Virtual Lecture Series to promote education and discussion. Discover how burying grounds can be a catalyst for social justice and how historians, genealogists, descendants, and volunteers can become empowered to reinterpret and honor the past. 

John Mills, Genealogist & Independent Scholar, will discuss how his own family history of enslavement impacted him and spurred him to pursue research into enslaved individuals. Mills will walk through the process he takes in researching African American genealogies, exploring the ways narratives of the enslaved are presented today. Mills will also discuss his work in repairing and preserving the gravestones and burial plots of his subjects, which sometimes includes having monuments and markers installed. 

Bio: John Mills is a trained Genealogist, Independent Scholar, and President of the Alex Breanne Corporation, a Connecticut-based non-profit focused on research into lesser known stories of the American enslaved.  The intent of the Alex Breanne Corporation is to give current-day descendants their history, as well as to inject the formerly enslaved into the landscape of the communities where they lived, worked or died. John is a published author and social activist, appearing on the Areva Martin Show and on the Kelly Clarkson Show. John has also been featured in the Washington Post, Scholastic Magazine, and in the CPTV Documentary, “Unforgotten.” John is a member of the Connecticut Freedom Trail Committee and a board member of the Connecticut League of Museums.