Freedom Trail – Stop 17

The Jubilee Mural

4 Broadway

The Jubilee Mural, created by Connecticut artist Ben Keller, was unveiled on June 18, 2022, in celebration of Juneteenth. The mural is an initiative of Castle Church in tribute to individuals and communities of resilience and is part of Jubilee Park. The mural features James Lindsey Smith and Sarah Harris Fayerweather, contemporaries in the nearby Historic Jail Hill Neighborhood. Smith escaped slavery in Virginia in 1838, overcoming separation from his companions along the way due to a permanent leg injury suffered in childhood that slowed him down. He eventually settled in Norwich, where he raised a family, served as a minister, and operated a shoemaking business. Fayerweather boldly requested attendance at Prudence Crandall’s all-girls school in Canterbury, becoming the first black student there before mob violence shut it down.

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Learn More about the Mural

The Mural Unveiling Ceremony