Rep. Rowe Participates in Barnum Lecture

Hartford- Yesterday the Old State House sponsored a lecture entitled “P.T. Barnum: The Man, the Myth, The Legend.” Kathy Maher, Executive Director and Curator of the Barnum Museum delivered a lecture on P.T. Barnum, after which she was joined by State Representative T.R. Rowe(R- Trumbull) and State Senator Edwin Gomes (D- Bridgeport) in a panel discussion.

“Barnum is an extraordinarily interesting figure and significant to Connecticut’s history,” Rep. Rowe stated after the lecture. “His work for civil rights and the abolition of slavery cannot be understated nor can his courage to advocate for his position in the face of strident opposition.”

P.T. Barnum served two terms as a Republican representative. His time in the legislature is mostly remembered for his vigorous debate in favor of African-American suffrage and ratification of the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution.

The lecture is a part of an ongoing lecture series put on by the Old State House that focuses on well-known people and events which made impacts in the early fight for civil rights. The lecture can be viewed on CTN or seen online at www.ct-n.com