Witness Stones Ceremony Marks Final Installation in Old Lyme
- caffryfrankel
- Jun 5
- 3 min read
On Friday, May 30, the community gathered on the lawn of the Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library to mark the culmination of the Witness Stones Old Lyme project, now in its fifth and final year. Twelve new bronze plaques were installed at the Sill Lane Green and the Florence Griswold Museum, bringing the total to 60. These permanent markers honor enslaved individuals once held in the historic town of Lyme, restoring their stories to the community.
2025 Witness Stones installed at the Florence Griswold Museum (left) and the Sill Lane Green (right).
The ceremony offered a program of music, poetry, and reflection. Richard Wyman opened and closed the event with alto saxophone performances of “Amazing Grace” and “I’ll Fly Away.” Soprano Lisa Williamson gave moving renditions of “Steal Away” and “His Eye is on the Sparrow,” and the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School Chamber Choir sang a medley of spirituals including “Wade in the Water,” “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child,” and “Be the Light.”
Left to right: Soprano Lisa Williamson, saxophonist Richard Wyden and the Lyme Old Lyme Middle School Chamber Choir perform at the Witness Stones Old Lyme Installation Ceremony.
Speakers included Old Lyme First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker' local historian Carolyn Wakeman; Dennis Cullitan, founder of the Witness Stones Project; and Michelle Dean, Director of Curriculum for Lyme-Old Lyme Schools. Eighth-grade students shared original poetry based on their research using primary documents to explore the lives of those enslaved in Old Lyme.
Kate Rushin, Professor of English at Connecticut College and one of the poets contributing to the
project’s commemorative verse cycle, reflected on the importance of honoring those who have gone before us and led the audience in reciting the names of those honored this year. Participants stressed throughout the ceremony the essential yet challenging task of continuing to remember once-forgotten members of our community.
While the installation phase of the Witness Stones Old Lyme project is complete, its educational mission continues through classroom learning, community engagement, and digital resources.
Read more about the project on Lymeline: Witness Stones Old Lyme Installs 12 More Plaques.
Upcoming Event
Juneteenth Celebration with Jazz & Poetry
Saturday, June 22, 2025 2 - 4PM
Florence Griswold Museum
North Lawn
96 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT
Join the community in commemorating Juneteenth—a federal holiday that honors the emancipation of enslaved African Americans—with an afternoon of live jazz and poetry on the beautiful north lawn of the Florence Griswold Museum.
The celebration will feature the Avery Sharpe Quartet, led by acclaimed bassist and composer Avery Sharpe, with Zaccai Curtis on piano, Haneef Nelson on trumpet, and Yoron Israel on drums, Along with readings by distinguished Connecticut poets Marilyn Nelson, Kate Rushin, Rhonda Ward, and Antoinette Brim-Bell.
Seating will be available under a tent, but guests are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs for added comfort.
Following this event, the Florence Griswold Museum will offer free admission from 3 to 5 pm for visitors to view the closing day of Their Kindred Earth: Photographs by William Earle Williams, an exhibition that seeks to deepen understanding of sites of enslavement. The artist will be on hand to sign copies of the newly released exhibition catalogue, available for purchase at the event.
Rain Location
In case of inclement weather, the Juneteenth celebration will be held at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, 2 Ferry Road.
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