VENTURE SMITH: AMERICAN
The exhibit uses quotes from Venture's own Narrative, supported by text and illustrations, to tell the story of his life.
At the top of most panels is a quote by Venture, in italics, charcoal color, and quote marks. The text in sepia was written by contributors to the Documenting Venture Smith Project.
The exhibit, in an abbreviated form, was launched at the reception for the descendants of Venture Smith and the Congressional Black Caucus, on Capitol Hill, Washington, DC, in February 2011. Since then, several versions have been displayed at the Museum of Connecticut History, Hartford, Connecticut; Hull History Center, Hull, UK; Marcus Garvey Library, London, UK; Annamaboe Fort, Ghana; Accra, Ghana; University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghan.
The exhibit was expanded to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Venture Smith’s regaining his freedom in the Spring of 1765. It was featured at the Hartford Public Library, Hartford Connecticut, October 2015 through February 2016 ( http://www.c-span.org/video/?329487-1/venture-smith ), and at the Torrington Historical Society, Torrington, Connecticut, for Black History Month, February 2016.
The exhibit was redesigned in January 2023 and mounted in New Haven, Connecticut in City Hall and will next open on 23 August through 30 October 2023, in the Wilberforce House Museum (the oldest slavery museum in the world) in Hull, UK, and then next February 2024 on the Gold Coast (today Ghana) where Venture left Africa in spring 1739.
