[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 122 (Monday, September 13, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S7024]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       REMEMBERING VENTURE SMITH

  Mr. DODD. Madam President, today I wish to commemorate the life of 
Venture Smith, who passed away nearly 205 years ago on September 19, 
1805. A Connecticut man who lived not far from where my home in East 
Haddam currently stands, Venture Smith's life is one of the best 
documented of the millions of Africans who were kidnapped from their 
homes and brought to the Americas as part of the transatlantic slave 
trade. A remarkable individual of uncommon strength and valor, Venture 
Smith's compelling story of perseverance in the face of seemingly 
insurmountable odds still serves as a potent source of inspiration and 
hope more than two centuries after it happened.
  Originally born Broteer Furro in 1728--the first son of a West 
African king--Venture's childhood was cruelly interrupted at the tender 
age of ten, when he was captured by slave traders, forced to board a 
crowded slave ship destined for the New World, and sold to Robinson 
Mumford of Long Island for four barrels of rum and a piece of calico. 
After more than a decade in the Mumford household, Venture was sold 
twice more, finally ending up with Colonel Oliver Smith of Stonington, 
CT, in 1760.
  In 1798, by that time an elderly man, Venture dictated his life story 
to Elisha Niles, a Connecticut schoolteacher, who had it published that 
same year in New London. One of perhaps only a dozen firsthand accounts 
of that period in our Nation's history by enslaved Africans, Venture 
Smith's narrative is a seminal work of early American literature that 
traces many of the defining moments of his life, beginning with his 
childhood in Africa.
  And while many of the experiences related in Venture's autobiography 
would be heartbreakingly familiar to anyone who has studied this dark 
chapter in our Nation's history, Venture's life breaks the mold in one 
crucial respect. In spite of the tremendous challenges that he faced at 
nearly every turn Venture was able to win back his freedom through hard 
work, courage, and an unbreakable spirit.
  By the time he was sold to his third and final owner, Colonel Smith, 
Venture had already spent the vast majority of his formative years in 
slavery. Having struck a deal with this new owner that would allow him 
to work for his freedom, Venture labored with incredible 
determination--fishing and growing food for sale, cutting and cording 
wood, and hiring himself out during seasonal hiatuses from his duties 
as Colonel Smith's slave--to acquire the 85 pounds and ten shillings 
needed to purchase his freedom. Such a sum was considered quite steep 
by the standards of 18th century colonial America, and even more so for 
an individual of Venture's means. But in spite of the tremendous 
hurdles that stood in his path, Venture successfully earned that money 
and bought his freedom in just over 5 years.
  But Venture's story of hard work and dogged persistence in the face 
of unending challenges did not end there. During the four decades that 
followed, Venture fought tirelessly to free his wife Meg and three 
children, who were also enslaved in Connecticut, as well as to build a 
new life for himself as a free man. Harnessing those same unshakeable 
qualities of dedication, resourcefulness, and frugality that allowed 
him to secure his own freedom, Venture not only earned enough money to 
liberate his entire family from bondage, but also three men he barely 
even knew.
  And if that wasn't remarkable enough, Venture Smith accomplished yet 
another feat that--in light of the serious financial and legal 
constraints that existed at the time--was exceedingly rare for a freed 
slave in colonial Connecticut: become a landowner. In 1775, just 1 year 
before the Thirteen American colonies declared independence from Great 
Britain, Venture purchased the first of what would become a nearly 130-
acre farm on Haddam Neck, right at the mouth of the Salmon River. And 
it was there, in 1805, that Venture Smith ultimately died at the ripe 
old age of 77, having amassed a considerable fortune from his 
involvement in an array of commercial activities, from fishing and 
farming to the commodities trade.
  Madam President, there are a significant number of historical lessons 
that can be gained from the life of this remarkable man--from firsthand 
insights into the evils perpetrated by the institution of slavery in 
this country, to a more complete understanding of the unique challenges 
faced by slaves who were able to gain their own freedom. But perhaps 
just as important are those lessons that transcend the period in which 
Venture Smith himself lived.
  For, after losing almost everything--including that most fundamental 
of human rights, his freedom--Venture Smith set about tearing down the 
seemingly impenetrable barriers erected by slavery and racism that kept 
him from enjoying the same privileges as his White neighbors. And while 
his journey from slave to wealthy Connecticut landowner was long and 
arduous, filled with its share of disappointments and setbacks, Venture 
Smith never lost sight of his goals, ultimately achieving them through 
nothing more than grit, intelligence, and determination.
  In this way, Venture Smith is much more than a mere historical 
figure. Rather, Venture's life is a testament to the sheer strength of 
the human spirit. It is a symbol of how a single individual can 
challenge societal norms and impact history. Perhaps most importantly, 
it is the embodiment of the principle that, even in the most dire and 
seemingly hopeless of circumstances, human beings are still capable of 
truly extraordinary achievements.
  As we approach the 205th anniversary of his death, I would like to 
thank the Documenting Venture Smith Project for all of the wonderful 
work they have done over the past 5 years to help improve our 
understanding of this incredible individual. It is my hope that with 
continuing academic interest in Venture's life, new generations of 
Americans will be inspired by this timeless story of triumph in the 
face of adversity for years to come.

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