Celebrate Juneteenth with a screening of the short documentary film The 29th Connecticut about the African American soldiers who enlisted in Connecticut during the American Civil War, specifically eleven men from Berlin. Enjoy refreshments afterwards while hearing more about the 13 men who enlisted from Westport and their contribution to the liberation of enslaved people on June 19th, 1865 in Galveston, Texas. 

Make your free reservation to view the film, enjoy refreshments, and receive admission to the Museum’s exhibitions for the program’s duration. Donations will support the Museum as well as the activities of the Berlin Equity Action Team. Produced by the Berlin Equity Action Team, The 29th Connecticut was selected as the Best Connecticut film at the Mystic Film Festival in 2023. 

The 29th Regiment of United States Colored Troops, formed just after Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, fought in critical battles near the end of the war and helped to secure freedom from enslavement for all United States citizens. Despite discrimination, more than 1,200 African and Native American men served in the Union Army as members of the 29th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry Regiment. 

To learn more about Westport in the Civil War period and the actions of the 29th Connecticut Colored Infantry Regiment, read our blog post by clicking here.