Volume 20, Number 5
www.plainvillecitizen.com
FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Thursday, February 4, 2021
Historic church provides ‘voice’ for Black community By Nadya Korytnikova Record-Journal staff
Nzinga's Daughters are best know for their “Underground Railroad” performance. The program invites the audience to experience the creativity, ingenuity, and perseverance employed by African American slaves in their efforts to become free. Photo courtesy of Nzinga's Daughters
Nzinga’s Daughters bring a message with their songs By Nadya Korytnikova Record-Journal staff
PLAINVILLE — For over 26 years Nzinga’s Daughters, a vibrant five-woman performance ensemble, has been sharing their gift of songs and storytelling to educate the public about the history and cultural achievements of Africa and the African Diaspora. The ensemble features Dayna Snell, Alison Johnson, Taffie Bentley, and the band founder, Gail Williams. While performing
at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1994, Williams noticed that the audience was predominantly white. While the listeners enjoyed her music, Williams wondered whether they knew the songs’ origins. “Everybody came to listen to the music but not everybody knew where it came from, so that’s what encouraged me to start the band and tell people all about its history,” Williams said. See Nzinga’s, A13
PLAINVILLE – For over a century, Redeemer’s African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church has been giving voice to the African American community. In 1997, the church was designated as one of the 74 historic sites on the state’s Freedom Trail. “The story of Redeemer’s reflects the rich African-American heritage that is integral to our cultural and social history,” said Town Councilor Rosemary Morante. “From the founding of the church to the current day, the members of Redeemer’s have also played a significant role in building a vibrant and diverse community here in Plainville.” The church was officially dedicated in September of 1904, but the efforts to establish a house of worship for the Black community were well underway as early as 1875. To raise money for the church, African-American Plainville residents col-
lected donations and put on various entertainment programs, said Gail Williams, the Plainville Historic Center’s expert on local African American history. “In Plainville, there weren’t a lot of black people, so the church was not just a place to practice religion, it was a place where people found a support system and a sense of camaraderie,” said Williams. Some African Americans attended white churches but were not necessarily welcome. It was suggested that Black residents worship at the See Church, A11
36 Whiting St, Plainville
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