Statement of Connecticut Witch Trial Exoneration Project, May 26, 2023

A year ago today on May 26, 2022 the Connecticut Witch Trial Exoneration Project was born out of frustration and sorrow that the stories of unjust witch trials in Connecticut resulting from fear, panic and misogyny were not acknowledged. A year later, on the eve of the 376th anniversary of the first witch-hanging in New England, that of Alice Young of Windsor, the Connecticut State Senate almost unanimously voted to adopt our resolution. This followed a bipartisan vote for the resolution in the CT State House on May 10th.

Our group is ecstatic, pleased and appreciative for the 34 indicted witch trial victims, 11 of whom were hanged, their descendants, and many others who care about justice. The special timing is incredible and helps us to honor the victims today. We would like to thank Representative Jane Garibay who helped us since July of 2022 and Senator Saud Anwar who joined with our efforts in January of 2023. We are grateful to descendants, advocates, historians, legislators of both parties and many others who made this official resolution possible.

In addition, we hope that attention to this resolution which acknowledges the wrongs of witch trials in the past will bring awareness regarding deadly witch hunts still happening in many parts of the world due to fear, misogyny and superstition.

Even though the resolution has passed, our Exoneration Project will continue to advocate for historical education and memorialization of the witch trial victims

While others have passed legislation to clear the names of people who suffered from witch trials, House Joint Resolution 34 is unique in many ways. The resolution acknowledges the innocence and suffering of the victims and includes a formal expression of empathy, in addition to officially correcting the historical record and naming all who suffered including all indicted victims and those convicted to death by hanging.