By Shiela Hayes, For The Bulletin
As we celebrate Black History Month and the great contributions of African Americans to the fabric of this great society, let us not forget it happened underneath the weight of racism that has existed throughout our history and continues today.
The Ellis Walter Ruley story, African American artist, is one of strength, endurance and tragedy. During his lifetime, he faced extreme adversity and racism as a result of his interracial marriage and his ability to achieve the “American dream” with the purchase of a new car and home.
In his early life, Ruley worked as a rock mason until an auto accident occurred and the settlement award of $25,000 was to be split between Ruley and the other passenger. The initial award of $12,000 to Ruley was reduced to $8,000 after the judge declared the initial amount excessive. Ruley then purchased a 1932 green Chevrolet convertible coupe called the “Green Hornet.” He married a white woman named Wilhelmina
By Dayne Rugh, For The Bulletin
One of the great missteps in the interpretation of history is neglecting to view the development of different groups of people from a holistic perspective. Often it becomes too convenient to compartmentalize the history of a given group of people without placing it in a larger context. This leads to an oversimplification of how our history develops, and as a result, it becomes difficult for people to connect with the history of those who share different backgrounds.
In truth, our collective backgrounds are far more intertwined and connected. This Black History Month, we have the opportunity to examine the impact of African American history in Norwich, and one of those great stories lies with a man who escaped a life of enslavement in northern Virginia and settled down in Norwich as a free man. That man’s name was James L. Smith.
By Dayne Rugh, For The Bulletin
Historically Speaking: Lebbeus Quy’s Fight for Independence
The Declaration of Independence famously asserted, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” These words have rung loudly in the halls of our American government and in the minds of Americans everywhere.
But the fact is that these words did not fully encompass every individual living in America. For generations, large populations of individuals and families forcibly transported across the Atlantic were not considered people, they were considered property. One of those individuals was Lebbeus Quy of Norwich.
Lebbeus Quy lived a life of enslavement under Norwich’s Daniel Brewster. Born and baptized in the year 1753, Lebbeus was among over 200 African Americans living in Norwich before the outbreak of the American Revolution. Norwich became the 12th largest city in the American colonies by 1774 and at the same time had one of the largest Black populati