Sarah Margu - A Child of the Amistad

Description

In honor of Women’s History Month, we share the story of Sarah Margu, performed by Museum Guide and Educator Tammy Denease. One of six children stolen from the shores of Africa, Margu – along with 52 others – would be held captive on the schooner Amistad.  During the voyage into captivity, Margu would miss the rite of passage (Sande Society) into adulthood in her native Mendeland (now Sierre Leone). The nightmarish voyage through the middle passage would change Margu forever. After gaining her freedom, Margu went on to become the first African to graduate from college in America (Oberlin College, Ohio). Experience with Tammy Denease this poignant voyage from childhood denial to adult autonomy. The performance will be preceded by a wine and cheese reception from 6-6:30 PM.

Museum Members: $10 / General Public: $15.

Tammy Denease was born in Columbus, Mississippi, where she spent countless hours with her great-grandmother and grandmother. Her great-grandmother was a former enslaved person and lived to be 125, and her grandmother lived to be a 100. Both were known storytellers and passed this gift along to their granddaughter. Tammy is the Executive Artistic Director of the Hidden Women Stage Company, where she writes, directs, and produces plays about Black women hidden in history. In her position as Museum Educator, Tammy instructs children through stories of Colonial History, Health, Medicine, Slavery, and Native History. When Tammy is not teaching, she is the Outreach Director for the Connecticut Freedom Trail.