Westfield State Professor Helps Illuminate Hidden Histories in New Documentary

A powerful exploration of Black resilience, art, and faith in western Massachusetts will debut on public television this month. Legacies: Stories of Black History in the 413 is a three-part documentary series that delves into underrepresented narratives, including a woman’s journey to uncover her family’s roots, the work of acclaimed AfriCOBRA artist Nelson Stevens, and the history of Mount Calvary Baptist Church. The series premiered on Thursday, Dec. 12 on NEPM TV and featured contributions from a Westfield State University faculty member.

Dr. Nicholas Aieta, Professor of History at the University, played a pivotal role in one of the presented stories. His work as Project Director for the Sheffield Historical Society’s After Elizabeth Freeman: The Untold Story of the Black Community in Sheffield highlights the ongoing effort to uncover hidden histories and is funded by Mass Humanities’ Expand Mass Stories initiative. Ultimately, the project brought together genealogical records, tax documents, and other archival materials to shine a light on the Black community’s role in shaping the region.

“When we were contacted by Jocelyn Jones Arnold because of a connection to one of the families of Sheffield, an entirely new window into the Jones family was opened for the project and the greater western Massachusetts community,” Dr. Aieta said. “Jocelyn's ancestors had connections across Worcester, Hamden, and Berkshire counties, unveiling a rich history of military service and connection to growth of the United States. The segment focused on the Sheffield project features Jocelyn as well as Paul O'Brien of the Sheffield Historical Society.”

Hosted by Erika Slocumb, Director of Interpretation and Visitor Experience at the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center in Hartford, Connecticut, this documentary also aims to amplify the voices and stories of Black communities across the Connecticut River Valley.

Slocumb emphasized the importance of confronting history to better understand collective pasts and futures, commenting, “Speaking truth to history is important, especially in this time where the validity of historical fact is often questioned or polarized. This series is bringing to light the history and contributions of Black citizens from the Connecticut River Valley, but it is also enabling us to see the impact the legacy of Black folks in the area has on the understanding of our collective past and empower us to think more deeply about our collective futures.”

Brian Boyles, Executive Director of Mass Humanities, praised the documentary’s efforts to spotlight untold narratives. “These films illuminate the ways that Black residents in western Massachusetts shaped this region and our understandings of freedom, artistic courage, and faith,” he said. “We are grateful to our grantee partners, NEPM, Erika Slocumb, and these filmmakers for expanding the story of Massachusetts.”

NEPM’s Content Director and Executive Producer Tony Dunne echoed these sentiments, asserting the importance of public media in fostering community storytelling.

“Elevating voices in our community and this kind of intimate and revelatory storytelling is what public media is all about,” he said. “My thanks and appreciation goes not only to the filmmakers and to our history and humanities advisor Erika Slocumb for their superlative work on the project, but also to our wonderful partners at Mass Humanities for their support which made it possible.”

In addition to its Dec. 12 premiere, Legacies: Stories of Black History in the 413 will be available for online viewing at nepm.org/legacies. The documentary will also re-air on NEPM TV and NEPM’s World Channel on various dates through January 2024.