A Trip to the Prudence Crandall House

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Aug. 30th, 2018

In 1831, Prudence Crandall started a school for African American girls. This infuriated the community, who went to the legislature. The Connecticut legislature proceeded to pass the “Black Law”, prohibiting any African American students from traveling from out of state to receive an education. Crandall continued to teach and was arrested. Her case eventually went to the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors, which overturned her conviction in the lower courts on a technicality. Frustrated, the townsfolk of Canterbury rioted, and the violence forced Crandall to dissolve her school and move out of state.

So how did Crandall’s story impact the course of the nation? In being not only attacked but run out of the state, Crandall demonstrated the harsh customs of the early 1800’s. She also eventually (through public outcry) encouraged the state legislature to revisit their view on race. The reaction of the community and the legislature in both the 1830’s and later help provide information on the shifting values of the populace, and the state of both race and gender relations at the times. Additionally, the precedent set in the Connecticut courts influenced famous national cases like Brown vs Board of Education.

How much is the museum still relevant in today’s world? Prudence Crandall’s home is very interesting, as it demonstrates the shifting attitudes of the American populace. The contrast between the violent reaction at the time and the literal hero’s welcome she garners today is large and indicative of this shift. By looking at the various reactions to her school, we get a sampling of the distance we have traveled as a nation, and also a demonstration of how far we still need to go. Crandall and her story are still important today, in a world where, though we no longer threaten young girls for daring to get an education, we still need to face the issues of racism and sexism. In today’s America where we are slowly losing sight of the massive discrimination that filled most of history, we need historical memories that remind us that the official or collective narratives often focus only on the pretty parts of the past. while it began in the 1800’s, the narrative presented by the museum presents a lens through which we can get a different view of our own times.