“There are several (Cape Verdean) families in Plainville,” said Gertrude LaCombe, of the historical society. The people who migrated from Cape Verde came in search of a better life in America. The migration was not part of the slave trade.
Several Cape Verdean families came to live in area towns such as Plainville, New Britain and Waterbury.
“I think it’s an interesting history,” said Gail Williams, a Plainville resident and one of the program speakers. Also leading the discussion on the culture and history of Cape Verde people was Valeriana Angelina Gomes DeBrito.
While Williams was born in Plainville, DeBrito was born on the island of Soa Nicolau in the Cape Verde Islands before settling in Waterbury in the 1970s. DeBrito shared her experiences growing up, as well as a recent trip back to the island.
The program also told about the late Plainville native Lena Santos Ferguson’s fight to break the color barrier and become a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
“It’s a good history lesson,” Williams said.
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