Their Kindred Earth: Photographs by William Earle Williams at Florence Griswold Museum

The Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme presents Their Kindred Earth: Photographs by William Earle Williams, on view from February 22 through June 22, 2025. This powerful exhibition brings visibility to overlooked sites of African American history, including locations tied to enslavement, the Underground Railroad, and emancipation. Through his evocative photography, Williams reveals hidden narratives embedded in familiar landscapes, encouraging reflection on the histories often left untold.

Williams, a student of Walker Evans and a graduate of the Yale School of Art, has spent over forty years documenting places where Black Americans lived, labored, and journeyed toward freedom. His return to Connecticut as the museum’s Artist-in-Residence allowed him to revisit and newly photograph sites in Old Lyme, including those connected to the Witness Stones Project—a local initiative that commemorates the enslaved individuals who helped shape the region’s history.

The Florence Griswold Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. Admission is $18 for adults, $17 for seniors (62+), $16 for students with ID, $7.50 for children ages 5–12, and free for children 4 and under.

The museum is located at 96 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT 06371. For more information, visit florencegriswoldmuseum.org or email FrontDesk@FloGris.org.