Man About Town: Dunkin’ Drop-in

Man About Town: Dunkin’ Drop-in

(column for March 4 Fairfield Citizen news)

By Mike Lauterborn

2/27/11

A sunny Sunday morning, fast-melting snow and a slick newspaper insert with a splashy photo of its new Big N’ Toasty Breakfast Sandwich inspired a trek to Dunkin’ Donuts at 593 Post Road.

Founded in 1950, the chain, with more than 9,700 locations in 31 countries worldwide, is one of America’s favorite everyday, all-day stops for coffee and baked goods. The retailer draws over $6 billion in global system-wide sales and opened 574 new locations worldwide just last year.

Patrons of the Fairfield location rarely think of its connection to a wider corporate network, however, and have adopted the store as a neighborhood fixture. Its feel is not that of a chain store but a mom-and-pop run café.

“I come here pretty much every Sunday,” said Bridgeporter Warren Bish, who has been a patron for the past four years. “It’s usually on the way to where I’m going, is quick and there’s a friendly and pleasant atmosphere. I come here so often, the clerks usually know what I’m going to get before I even order.”

Bish was enjoying sausage, egg and cheese on a toasted cinnamon raisin bagel, which he described as his favorite.

The atmosphere certainly appeals – large picture windows looking out onto the busy Post Road, raspberry-colored tabletops and trim, modern lighting and checkerboard square tiling.

A true veteran of the establishment and 63-year resident of Fairfield, Bob Kutsagoitz has seen Dunkin’ evolve over time. “I’ve been coming here since I was a kid, since it opened about 50 years ago. Brooks Barrett owned it back then. It was like a one-man operation. He used to bake the donuts and serve coffee.”

The store was a pioneering business then, said Kutsagoitz. “This area was swampland. There used to be a clothing store called Robert Hall’s next door. The Dunkin’ store was small then and had tables and bar stools for two along the window. There were no four-seat tables like now. It was very family oriented and they didn’t have soda or juices, just coffee and donuts. Truckers used to stop in, too.”

The long-time patron has seen the retailer adapt, which hasn’t always been for the better. “The place has changed hands several times over the years. The latest owners doubled the size of the store and number of products sold and got a variance to build out to the roadside. With the introduction of sandwiches and other items, the wait got a bit longer at the register. Sometimes you just want to come in and get a coffee.”

Fairfielders Ben and Mary Ann Troidle have been coming to Dunkin’ every Sunday for the past seven years. “We like to have a light breakfast snack,” said Ben. “We both have the same thing every time – a Boston crème donut and latte for me and iced tea and jelly donut for Mary Ann. We’re creatures of habit.”

The menu is certainly wide enough to offer choices. It runs from breakfast sandwiches, bagels, muffins and classic Munchkins to lunch items like tuna salad and flatbread sandwiches. Of course, the coffee, from lattes to Coolatas, are a big attraction to the patronizing populace. This includes a mix of Fairfield University students, retirees, young parents with sports-involved kids and small clusters of friends who congregate and catch up on weekly events.

Customers stream through the door at a constant rate, queue up at the service counter and are invariably greeted “Hi, can I help you?” from staffers like this morning’s crew Assistant Manager Enrique and counter help Annette, Romi and Chris. They dart from baskets of baked goods and brewing machines to grills and toasters, staying two steps ahead of the flow.

With my 32-ounce “light and sweet” iced coffee in hand, I stepped back out into the steadily warming morning, another Man About Town mission completed.  

Quilt Exhibit A Treasure Trove of Handmade History

Quilt Exhibit A Treasure Trove of Handmade History

(Front page feature of Fairfield Sun March 3 issue)

By Mike Lauterborn

2011. All Rights Reserved.

2/22/11

Southport, CT – Quilts can tell a story, celebrate an event, provide warmth on a cold night and evoke memories of a beloved family member. They are an enduring constant in an ever-changing world. Now over 150 of them will be on display for all to experience at a local house of worship.

On March 4 and 5, the Southport Congregational Church at 524 Pequot Avenue will host “A Quilt Exhibit – Fabrics and Fabrications”, a special show focused on quilts as fashion through the decades. In addition to the unique handmade wonders, a boutique set-up will feature an array of high fashion quilted couture and accessories. A daily luncheon and silent auction round out the affair. A majority of proceeds will benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation of Connecticut, Emerge, Inc., and Project Learn.

The Sun caught up with the event’s founder and organizers as well as a leading group of participating quilters to get their unique perspectives about the exhibit. 

Event Inception, Quilting History

In Spring 2001, long-time quilter and Southport Congregational Church member Cecily Zerega traveled to Cohasset, Massachusetts to see a quilt exhibit at another congregation there. Recognizing that there were no similar shows in the Fairfield area, Zerega approached Minister Paul Whitmore about hosting one to benefit charity. He approved the idea, Zerega formed the Fabrics and Fabrications committee and secured the three charity partners.

“We wanted a couple of charities that were either local, small or benefited women and children. My husband was on the board with Make-A-Wish at the time, so that was a natural. Then we added Emerge and, two years ago, Project Learn,” said Zerega. Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Emerge provides transitional housing to survivors of domestic violence. Project Learn offers after-school programming in Bridgeport.

As to planning the event’s launch, Zerega said, “We put the word out to friends and family and, honestly, didn’t know how many quilts we would end up with. But we got 150 that first year, which became the maximum number for display going forward. The quilts really occupy every free space in the church’s Sanctuary, halls and chapel. Old quilts, new quilts, latest styles, heirlooms…Three Fairfield middle schools even have quilts in the show this year.”

Historically, Zerega said quilts have been around since 3,500 B.C. as evidenced by a figure shown in a quilted garment at one of the great pyramids of Egypt. She also cited early examples from the Far East and during the time of the Crusades in the 13^th and 14^th centuries. Crusaders bound for the Middle East used quilted garments under their armor to help prevent bruises and blisters.

Those same quilted clothing ideas were carried to Europe and became popular particularly with men’s clothing – vests and coats – in the 16^th century. Very ornate quilted petticoats also came into fashion. All along, quilts were used for bedding and stuffed with such insulating materials as leaves, grass and animal hair. The Baltimore Album quilts in the early 1800s, as well as Friendship quilts, in which different individuals each contribute blocks to make a quilt, were given as wedding gifts, baby gifts or farewell tokens. They’ve become cherished heirlooms passed down from generation to generation.

Personally, Zerega began quilting 50 years ago. “I grew up sewing and knew how to sew. I took one set of workshops initially, and went to the Rhode Island School of Design and crafted needlepoint, stenciled rugs, quilts and knitting patterns.”

Exhibit Highlights

“Part of the original premise was that this would be low-cost,” said Zerega about the exhibit, now in its ninth year. She cited a low admission price of $7, a quilt registration fee of $5 and luncheon tagged at $12. Those funds along with in-kind donations, contributions from individual and corporate underwriters, and boutique sales benefit the partner organizations. “Better than 90% of proceeds are given to charity,” said Zerega.

A special exhibit in the church library supplements the main exhibit and carries a different theme each year. One year, it was maritime-themed, with quilts, scrimshaw and ship models. Another year, carvings and baskets were showcased. This year’s theme is “quilted couture – wearable art”, featuring 20 garments, from professional quilters from all over the country, displayed on mannequins. “These are complicated and gorgeous,” said Zerega.

Another favorite side element is the boutique, organized by fellow congregation members Joan Huntington and Susan Kunkel. A booth set up in the main room of the church, the boutique contains over 200 handmade items including mini quilts, needlepoint, knitted items, children’s aprons, quilted totes and backpacks, made throughout the year by fifteen active members of the committee.

“Angie Supernaw, who is 99, has contributed dozens of items for the boutique each year,” said Zerega. “She is always asking for more work. She only likes to get up in the morning when she has a project to do, so we try to keep her busy.”

Zerega said over 70 volunteers, like Supernaw, help out with the exhibition in some way, shape or form, from set-up and serving to the flower arrangements and raffle. They include representatives from nine different churches, a synagogue and unaffiliated volunteers. “This is really a community event,” she said.

Sally Conti is another noted volunteer, who takes it upon herself to make all the luncheon food. This year’s menu includes quiche, salad, homemade rolls and dessert. Conti makes enough to serve 100 people each day, who must advance register for the meal.

A show preview night will be held Thursday, March 3, featuring a reception with a self-catered simple buffet, guessing game to win a necklace or bracelet and a silent auction to win a doll donated by Washington-based artist Elinor Peace Bailey.

An Event Backbone: BeeAttitudes

Among the many quilting groups participating in the exhibit is BeeAttitudes. Its coordinator, Bridgeporter Karen MacDonald, formed the group 11 years ago when Rev. Laura Whitmore was seeking designer items for the church’s Rooms With A View fundraiser. MacDonald suggested a quilt raffle and, the first year, provided a quilt featuring landmarks of Southport. The group contributed a quilt annually until the quilt exhibit event emerged. Now, MacDonald and three other active members – Nancy Bertini, Judi Heath and Norma Wiser – provide a raffle quilt for the exhibit and create a giveaway quilt to donate to each of the three charity organizations the show benefits.

MacDonald is a fourth generation quilter who has been making quilts since high school. “I was taught by my mother who learned through her mother and grandmother. My mother enjoyed traditional patchwork techniques. My generation of quilters are now considered “fiber” artists, using techniques and textiles incorporating international influences.”

Quilts speak to MacDonald on many levels. “I enjoy the fellowship of our group’s time together and learning new quilting techniques. I also use quilts as my life journal, representing different stages of my life. It’s a wonderful creative expression, especially with the variety of fabrics that are available to the modern quilter.”

MacDonald says the exhibit is truly special. “There’s something very magical about the display of quilts in the church, even spiritual, with almost a hush as people admire the variety of pieces.”

SIDEBAR

Caught Up in Quilting

He’s a publicist working with the Fairfield Museum and has been assisting (for the past three years) the organizers of “A Quilt Exhibit” at Southport Congregational Church. He’s also a quilter.

Fairfielder Steve Gaynes caught the quilting bug initially from his wife, a quilter for over 25 years. But it was a tag-along to a quilt store in New York City that sewed up his interest. “In walked a professor from Brooklyn College who was displaying his quilts and I said, ‘If he can do it, I can do it,’” recalled Gaynes. “We bought some fabric that intrigued me and I signed up for classes through Close to Home quilt store in Milford. I made my first quilt, a Serger quilt, in August 2006. It was rewarding to walk away with a finished product.”

That same year, he and his wife went away to a quilting-focused bed and breakfast in Wisconsin where they spent the entire week quilting, eating and sightseeing. The quilting was all done on old sewing machines. “Mine was a 1945 Singer,” Gaynes said.

He made two quilts that week, one of which he showed at the quilt exhibit three years ago. He has entered another quilt this year, on which he has spent a good four years. “I worked on it in drips and drabs as time allowed around work and home schedules. It’s from a pattern called Just Can’t Cut It, which is a mix and match of all different sized squares.”

Gaynes said he has gained a real appreciation for quilting and what goes into it and, as such, has become a top promoter of the event. “No one should miss this exhibit – it’s really special and a great effort for charity. We raised nearly $40,000 last year and had over 700 attendees. It would be wonderful to top those numbers this year.”

‘Pride and Purpose’ Brings Alums and Students Together

‘Pride and Purpose’ Brings Alums and Students Together:

Annual UMOJA Dinner honors black Americans

(Posted to Fairfield.Patch.com 2/26)

By Mike Lauterborn

© 2011. All Rights Reserved.

2/26/11

Fairfield, CT – Black, brown, tan. They were all represented here and gathered for a common cause – to celebrate their history and honor those that helped create it.

Held early Saturday evening in the Oak Room of the Barone Center on Fairfield University’s North Benson Road campus, the third annual “Pride and Purpose” Dinner was the culmination of school activities marking Black History Month. Event highlights included a buffet-style dinner; dance, poetry and song performances; and a tribute to Civil Rights activist Dorothy Height. Organized by UMOJA, the university’s black and Caribbean student association, the dinner was attended by over 50 people including alumni, faculty and current students.

Maria Sanchez, a sophomore and president of UMOJA, led the event, with support from fellow coordinators Desiree Gordon, Gaelle Isazu and Isata Kargbo. Sanchez said she was proud of the group and its work and stressed its importance on campus. “It’s great for us to have a forum to meet, socialize, discuss issues and create events that highlight our cultures.”

Added fellow sophomore Jazmin Fermin, who read the poem “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou and performed a praise dance, “I like that UMOJA, even though its mostly African American focused, accommodates people of Caribbean cultures, too. We have common dances, like Pallo, and foods like casave. And we get to meet people from other places.”

Freshman Astrid Quinones, who sang “When You Believe” by Mariah Carey, said, “For this university to recognize minorities is a big step given its history. We’re drawing from the talent of our group to expand upon our cultural background and be proud of who we are as people.”

To help focus attention on the program, quotations were set at each place setting featuring African proverbs or notable sayings from both historic and contemporary black Americans. These ran the gamut from Booker T. Washington to actor Bill Cosby.

Alumnus Janice Jones, class of 1980, was glad to attend. “It’s important to be here to offer continuity and a sense of history and community to current students.”

Daphne Robinson, who earned her graduate degree at the university in 2006, added, “I don’t really read or meditate about black history. This is a great opportunity to get back in touch and build a network of people of color.”

Will Johnson, Associate Dean of Students and Director of the Office of Student Diversity Programs, said the evening was particularly important. “I think we lost touch with black history in past years. I was glad that we were able to put so many great events together this month to mark black history.

Class of ’82 alumnus Carolyn Roman was just glad to be back on campus. “Fairfield has a special place in my heart. This is the beginning of much more to come.”

 

Sacred Heart Program Teaches Business Networking Etiquette

Sacred Heart Program Teaches Business Networking Etiquette

(Posted to Sacred Heart Univ. website Feb. 2011)

By Mike Lauterborn

2/16/11

Fairfield, CT – Crisp suits, portfolios in hand, nametags on lapels. A corporate affair? In a sense. Call it a practice drill.

On Wednesday evening Feb. 16, at the invitation of the Welch College of Business at Sacred Heart University (SHU), Consultant Robert Shutt led a business networking etiquette program targeted to students and supported by faculty, alumni and local business representatives. The setting was the University Commons room at the school, which was dressed out to simulate a corporate gathering and allow students to practice interfacing with business professionals.

“Employers are telling us that students are coming out of school with great grades, but no social skills,” said Sean Heffron, Director of the Student Experience in the Welch College of Business. “So we have recreated a social environment like one they might encounter in the business world where they can learn how to approach a group and interact.”

Specifically, Shutt helped student attendees to feel more comfortable with introductions and conversations, walk away with information that could lead to future opportunities and learn the importance of following up with new contacts. The trainer also served up a healthy helping of etiquette tips that are critical to social situations in a business climate.

Students, like SHU Junior Christine Schneider, 20, were eager to gain these strategies. “I really want to learn how to network and approach people. I tend to get shy and want to overcome that,” she said at the outset of the evening.

Fellow SHU Junior Karin Black, 20, concurred. “I want to enhance my interview skills to better my chances in the job world.”

The etiquette session is just one part of a larger effort that Heffron’s department conducts to help students prepare for life after college. “We offer free tuition for study abroad, free golf lessons and speaker engagements. The latter are interactive and result in internship opportunities. In the past, we’ve had reps from sports management, music, sales and marketing, and entrepreneurism. We’re exposing students to a lot to help them gain a professional comfort level and decide what they want to do with their majors, while enhancing their resumes with their experiences at the same time.”

Alumni Services supports Heffron’s department’s goals by securing alumni for social events and to serve as mentors that students can shadow in business environments. Similarly, the Career Development and Placement Center draws business people from its network of employers for event activities and internship opportunities.

Shutt explained that there are three important components of communication: tone of voice, words you use and body language. “Fifty-five percent of effectiveness is body language, 38% is tone of voice and 7% is words. We use the least effective form of communication most of the time. We need to be more conscious of feedback and what people are saying.”

Shutt also laid out the important foundations for successful interaction: courtesy with regard to words, actions and even scent and how those impact those in your vicinity; focus on the person’s agenda; and respect and understanding of the hierarchy of a situation.

Among effective tips, Shutt suggested researching an event before attending it, having a goal at a social occasion and considering the first impression one makes. Other guidance was more etiquette related including keeping your power hand (right hand) free, asking open-ended questions to get people to talk about themselves, being informed about a variety of topics and taking small amounts of food and beverage.

Both students and businesspeople, who were encouraged to interact with each other, were impacted by the evening’s experience. “It was awkward at first to approach people, especially if they were in mid conversation,” said Accounting Sophomore Megan Papp. “But once you start talking, it boosts your confidence level.”

Marketing Junior Christina Bologna said, “I spoke with Amelia from Barnum Financial Group. She offered to refer me to a friend at a PR firm. She was very easy to speak to. I was apprehensive about meeting people in this atmosphere, but now I’m more at ease.”

Softtech Web and Multi-Media Consultant Danya Jimenez, a 2005 SHU alumnus, was glad to help coach students. “I understand where they are coming from. When I was in school here, Alumni Services helped me with resume prep, interviews and preparing me for the job world. This is a great way for them to become more relaxed about interacting with a potential employer.”

A Solid Foundation in Green Building

A Solid Foundation in Green Building:

SoNo’s Trillium Architects leads the way

By Mike Lauterborn

(For Mar/Apr Green Home supplement to Fairfield Magazine)

You would be hard pressed to find a more deeply passionate green-focused architect.

Elizabeth DiSalvo, 44, the founder/principal of Trillium Architects, LLC in South Norwalk, has always been mindful of building energy-efficient “green” houses. “Green is really simply about quality construction. We want to build houses that you would be proud to leave to your grandchildren,” she says.

DiSalvo was raised in Ridgefield, CT. She earned undergraduate and graduate architectural degrees from Rensselaer and Columbia University respectively.

She gained architectural experience in high school, college and later years working with a variety of high-end Fairfield County architects. Intervening years were spent learning to design modern, natural homes in Los Angeles and New York. Her experience in the early 90s in Colorado was particularly influential. “I lived and designed in a town that was ‘off the grid’. People built their own homes and even their own solar panels. It was very mind opening,” said DiSalvo.

She designed her first new green home in 1999 and, from then on, the “green” focus has been her priority.

“The first aspect that we look at with a green home design is the envelope – the roof, walls and basement,” she said. “We make these areas as well insulated and air-sealed as possible. We keep fresh tempered air flowing with a super high efficiency HVAC system. The better the envelope, the smaller the HVAC system required, which results in high-energy efficiency and monetary savings to the owner. We specify sustainable and natural materials that complete the package to create a long lasting, low maintenance home.”

Besides the technical areas of a home, Trillium focuses on creating unique and sophisticated designs that emphasize natural light, beauty, different levels of intimacy, and the specific needs of each homeowner.

DiSalvo’s theory is simple: The better you build the home, and the more truly special the experience of living in the home, the better the home will be cherished and cared for, and the longer it will last. A home that no one would dream of tearing down and throwing into a landfill is perhaps the greenest home you can build.

“Our distinction in this business is that we have been doing this for a long time,” said DiSalvo. “We’re building fine green homes wherein both the technical and spatial designs have been perfected. Our strong relationships with contractors and subcontractors that are truly experienced in green construction are a plus as well.”

Founded in 2004, Trillium focuses on residential work –from small renovations to complete new homes, working in various “shades” of green, throughout Fairfield and Westchester Counties and beyond.

“Last year, we completed four new homes and several additions,” noted DiSalvo. “Among the new homes was one that will likely receive LEED Platinum certification -- the highest LEED rating. LEED is a standard by which green houses are measured, created by the U.S. Green Building Council.”

DiSalvo said that the firm has another home in progress in Darien that will likely receive LEED Platinum.   

Kids Gets a Look at Colonial Winter Life

Kids Gets a Look at 
Colonial Winter Life:

Fairfield Museum program offers hands-on activities

(Posted to Fairfield.Patch.com 2/25)

By Mike Lauterborn

© 2011. All Rights Reserved.

2/25/11

Fairfield, CT – Muskets. Linen clothing. Chestnuts. Cinnamon cakes. All the ingredients of a fun-filled and educational program hosted by Fairfield Museum and History Center.

A half-day session held Friday morning as part of February Vacation programming, “Colonial Winter Times” offered children grades 3 to 6 with the opportunity to see how boys and girls spent the dark days of winter during the 1700s. Seventeen participating students tried on reproduction clothing, learned about military weaponry and gear, planted chestnut seeds and helped prepare edible treats.

A highlight of the class was the guest appearance of Agricultural Scientist Sandy Anagnostakis from the New Haven-based Agricultural Experiment Station. In the Center’s Educational Classroom, where the program was conducted, she spoke about her work trying to repopulate New England with American Chestnut trees, relied upon in Colonial times as a critical resource with many uses. The trees, which were the most dominant tree in Connecticut, were almost completely wiped out by a blight that appeared in 1904.

“At one time, a squirrel could go over 1,000 miles from chestnut tree to chestnut tree, Maine to Georgia, without touching ground,” said Anagnostakis. “They were very important as our country was being colonized. The trees produced tasty nuts but also wood that was very strong and used for floors, furniture and buildings. The additional advantage is that chestnut wood doesn’t rot and lasts very long.”

Walter Matis, a museum volunteer leading the session, added, “Chestnut trees were also a source of tanic acid in Colonial times, which was used in the process of turning animal skins into leather.”

Anagnostakis explained that the chestnuts we see today are European that have been cross-bred with Japanese chestnuts. While the latter were resistant to the blight, they are not good timber substitutes as the trees don’t grow as big as the American Chestnut tree.

In an effort to spur the return of the American Chestnut, program participants were given chestnut seeds, moistened soil and pots and guided on planting them. “You’ll take these home and, hopefully, over time, we’ll see them come back,” said Matis.

On a side note, in spring 2013, as a gift to Fairfield, the Fairfield Garden Club will be planting 100 chestnut seedlings across 10 sites to further drive the revival of chestnuts.

Brushing dirt from their hands, session participants switched gears to help prepare Dutch Cinnamon Squares. “These would be a winter treat in Colonial times as they contain sugar, which was hard to come by then,” said Matis as the children passed around a mixing bowl and took turns stirring ingredients.

“I’ve had these cinnamon squares at another museum program,” said Francis Ohe, 10. “They’re really good, like little muffins.”

As the treats, which were later enjoyed with hot chocolate, baked, Matis broke out period clothing, which all the children had a chance to try on. Items included daily wear like tri-corn hats, casual and dressy frocks, and chemises.

“People then always dressed in layers,” said Matis. “Boys and girls both wore gowns or chemises that would be worn both to bed and as underclothing. Most individuals in a family had between only one and three suits of clothing, with a best set worn only on Sundays.”

Matis added, “There were two primary materials used – wool and linen. Only the wealthiest families, like the Burrs in Fairfield, could afford silk. There was also cotton, but it was also expensive.”

In addition to everyday wear, Matis shared military garments and equipment including uniforms, muskets, swords, bayonets, canteens and shoulder pouches for ammunition. He gave background about each piece and even demonstrated how muskets were loaded and fired.

“Imagine a thousand men coming across a field with muskets and bayonets,” said Matis. “What would you do?”

“Scream and run away!” said one student.

Asked about all the clothing he had tried on, 11-year-old Matthew Pryor said, “I wouldn’t like to wear this clothing if I lived in Colonial times. It’s not very comfortable and is very loose. It doesn’t have pockets or enough buttons either.”

Clearly, the group, while fascinated with Colonial life, appreciated the comforts of modern life.

Freed Slave Memoirs Spur Chat 135 Years Later

Freed Slave Memoirs 
Spur Chat 135 Years Later:

Fairfield Museum Spotlights 

“A Slave No More”

(Posted to Fairfield.Patch.com 2/24)

By Mike Lauterborn

© 2011. All Rights Reserved.

2/23/11

Fairfield, CT – Wallace Turnage and John Washington could not have imagined that their recollections of personal hardship, written in the 1870s, would be the topic of spirited conversation at a book chat in Fairfield some 135 years later.

On Wednesday evening, Fairfield Museum and History Center hosted Dr. Samuel L. Schaffer, who moderated a roundtable discussion of the book “A Slave No More” by David Blight. The subjects of the book are Turnage, a teenage field hand from an Alabama plantation, and Washington, an urban slave in Virginia. In the chaos of the Civil War, both escaped north. Blight retells their flights to freedom as well as provides an account of their lives as he reconstructed them.

The book chat, the first of four in a History Book Club series the Museum has scheduled to run through May 25, was attended by a small group of people that brought unique perspectives to the table and spurred lively discussion.

Moderator Schaffer, a post-doctoral fellow at Yale University and former student of the author, explained how Blight’s agent came to him five or six years ago with the narratives. One document was found in an attic by a Greenwich woman. The other was discovered in Massachusetts. Blight, who is currently working on a biography of abolitionist Frederick Douglass, reviewed the narratives and realized how important they were.

Using a wealth of genealogical information, Blight reconstructed the former slaves’ childhoods as sons of white slaveholders, their service as camp hands during the Civil War, and their climb to black working-class stability in the north, where they reunited with their families. Blight’s account includes a preface about runaway slaves and emancipation.

Schaffer said the slave narrative is its own genre and can be divided into two categories: Pre-Emancipation and Post-Civil War. With regard to the former, there are 65 known narratives and they were written by young men in their teens and 20s about their flight from slavery to freedom. Many were published by abolitionists to point to the evils of slavery. The post-war narratives, of which there are 45, are less about slavery and more about the journey from slavery to affluence, with arguments against Jim Crow laws.

Schaffer said the narratives of “A Slave No More” are unique in that they tell of escape to freedom but as a backward-looking reflection years later after slavery was abolished. Washington, for instance, escaped to the north in 1862 but wrote his account in 1873. Turnage escaped in 1864.

Attendee Sherry Thorne of Fairfield suggested, “War was a catalyst that created chaos and allowed many slaves to escape.”

Schaffer added, “The Emancipation Proclamation was the driving force and protected the slaves’ flight. They were fleeing to Union Army lines, which was a constantly moving border between slavery and freedom.”

Schaffer said the Union Army didn’t know what to do with the slaves, referred to them as “captured contraband” and put them to work. He said the slaves didn’t mind that though as it was “free labor” and not plantation labor. Still, he said, there was always suspicion that they would be sold back into slavery.

Attendee J. Alfred Dunn suggested, as Washington and Turnage’s narratives were not mediated nor previously published, that the men “put these recollections down for those that came after them in their families.”

Fairfielder Sherry Thorne agreed with Dunn. “They would have had no expectation of the documents being published.”

However, Schaffer said, “The memoirs are mediated by time and memory, with reflective inferences about the significance of the events of the war.”

Memorie Mitchell, visiting from Birmingham, Alabama, was intrigued by the topic. “I grew up during the Civil Rights movement,” she said. “We were all segregated. My class was the last totally white graduating class in my high school. There were white water fountains. No black person came into our restrooms at all.”

Thorne was equally impressed by Blight’s book. “What I liked about it was that it captured the difficulty of being so totally disenfranchised and then being free, and always the sadness of broken families. In the end, the epilogue explains how Blight was able to connect with the family of one of the slaves. It brings to mind how difficult it is for people of African-American descent to trace their family history. There’s just so much missing,” she said.