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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 15, 2022 NORWICH HISTORICAL SOCIETY HOSTS ANNUAL MEETING (Norwich, CT) – The Norwich Historical Society hosts an Annual Meeting, which includes a brief business meeting and report, followed by a program open to the public. The NHS Annual Meeting will be held on Monday March 28, 2022, at 6:00pm via Zoom. Please register in advance for the Zoom link. Our featured program will be: “James L. Smith, Norwich, and the Underground Railroad in Connecticut: The Ties that Bind.” This presentation will be given by Dr. Stacey Close and focuses on the perilous journey of James L. Smith journey from enslavement to freedom in the North. His journey ties him to the national and state freedom struggle that served to transform the lives of people both in the South and North. The saving grace for many fugitives was the “ties that bind.” The lecture is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required. Please register for the lecture here: https://www.norwichhistoricalsociety.org/event/nhs-annual-meeting-3/. For more information about the NHS, please visit norwichhistoricalsociety.org. About the Speaker A native of Georgia, Stacey Close has worked in higher education for more than 25 years. A professor of African American history, Close received his Ph.D. and M.A. from The Ohio State University and B.A. from Albany State College, a HBCU in Georgia. He has made paper presentations at conferences such as the Southern Conference on African American Studies, Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History, and Professional and Organizational Development Network. He has published with journals and presses such as the Journal of Negro History, CT Explored, Wesleyan University Press, Garland Publishing, Humanities, and Guilford Press. Some of his other honors include Connecticut State NAACP 100 Most Influential, Eastern Connecticut State University s Faculty Teaching Award, Hartford Courant Magazine’s 12 Hot Professors, and being an American Council on Education Fellow. He has also worked in higher education administration at the department chair level, director level, and senior administration. Close has also served as panelist and guest on shows such as the Smithsonian Channel’s “Blacks and the Space Race,” The Green Book,” and NPR’s Where We Live and Disrupted. He is currently completing work entitled the “Black Hartford Freedom Struggle, 1915-70.” About the Norwich Historical Society Formed in 2001, the Norwich Historical Society seeks to preserve, protect, and promote the rich history of Norwich, CT. We are a registered 501(c)(3), non-profit organization run by an Executive Director and a volunteer board of directors. Recently, NHS launched several initiatives designed to strengthen Norwich’s heritage tourism efforts such as opening the Norwich Heritage & Regional Visitors' Center and creating the Walk Norwich Trail system. Media Contact: Regan Miner, Executive Director of the Norwich Historical Society Email: info@norwichhistoricalsociety.org Registration link: https://www.norwichhistoricalsociety.org/event/nhs-annual-meeting-3/ Website: norwichhistoricalsociety.org