middletown

Strawberry soda and red velvet cake. They are two foods rich in flavor and in history tied to the celebration of Juneteenth—their red color represents the blood spilled by the last enslaved people freed more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. They are also the theme of Wesleyan’s table at Middletown’s third-annual Liberation Day Festival and first Juneteenth Parade on June 19 celebrating the hallmark occasion. One year after establishing Juneteenth as a campus-wide holiday, Wesleyan is excited to have been a sponsor of the event and have representatives walking in the parade—which will start on North Main St.…

Wesleyan University faculty and students played an important role at Middletown’s 2022 Amistad Journey to Freedom Community Day Celebration in Harbor Park Saturday, October 8. Event planners coordinated with Discovering Amistad to offer age-appropriate tours of the replica vessel, which arrived in Middletown one week earlier. Jesse Nasta ’07, assistant professor of the practice in African American Studies, who wrote his honors thesis on Middletown’s Beman Triangle, was already signed up to participate, leading the 4th Annual Middletown Middle Passage Ceremony. “The Middle Passage and the Middle Passage Ceremony are an origin story of the Beman Triangle and other…

Erika Taylor, associate professor of chemistry, didn’t have a single female science teacher during her academic career. The lack of female representation in the field had an impact on her journey. “I had to swim upstream the whole time. That is what it felt like,” Taylor said. In an effort to make sure other young women don’t feel the same way, Taylor and Meng-ju Renee Sher ‘07, assistant professor of physics, are working diligently to show girls that a life in the sciences is desirable and attainable. The Girls in Science program, a partnership between Wesleyan and the Middletown Public…

In recognition of Juneteenth, we share a message from Alison P. Williams, vice president for equity and inclusion: On Saturday, June 18, Middletown will have a Juneteenth celebration in Smith Park. Wesleyan’s Office for Equity & Inclusion is a Gold sponsor of this event. We invite everyone to come out and celebrate with us. Juneteenth is also known as Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Juneteenth Independence Day, and Black Independence Day. It marks the date when, on June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, TX, and announced the end of the Civil War and the end of slavery. …

On April 24, the Green Street Teaching and Learning Center celebrated its 10th anniversary at an event that brought together students, teachers, supporters, and advocates to celebrate the past decade. Speakers at the event included Middletown Mayor Daniel Drew; Connecticut State Senator Paul Doyle; Pamela Tatge, director of the Center for the Arts; Robert Rosenthal, director of the Allbritton Center for the Study of Public Life; and Sara MacSorley, director of the Green Street Teaching and Learning Center. Students from Wesleyan and Middlesex Community College spoke about the impact that working at Green Street has had on their college experiences. The attendees also watched a performance by…

Wesleyan welcomed about 150 local residents to campus for the second annual Middletown Day on Oct. 18. Families enjoyed a day of fun — including face painting, balloon art, and a bounce house for kids — food and football, as Wesleyan battled Amherst College in the Homecoming game. The Middletown High School marching band played at halftime, and Middletown residents were offered free admission to the game. View photos of Middletown Day below, and in the Homecoming 2014 photo gallery. (Photos by John Van Vlack and Olivia Drake) (more…)

On Oct. 15, Wesleyan and City of Middletown officials met at City Hall in downtown Middletown to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on dealing with sexual assault. The document details the responsibilities and procedures of the university, the city, and state law enforcement in handling assault cases. This document officially codifies long-standing campus and community cooperation around the issue of crime, sharing of training resources, and enhanced communication designed to support survivors of sexual assault. "This memorandum is an important step toward even greater cooperation between Wesleyan, the State’s Attorney’s office and the City of Middletown," said President Michael Roth."On…

For the second year in a row, Wesleyan will welcome its neighbors to campus for fun, food and football during Middletown Day, Oct. 18. Starting at 11 a.m., the public can enjoy family entertainment (face painting, balloon art, a bounce house for little visitors, and a DJ), along with free popcorn and food for sale from Wesleyan athletic teams. Plenty of Wes alumni also are expected at Andrus Field for the Homecoming football game versus Little Three rival Amherst College. Kickoff is at 1:30 p.m. and Middletown residents will be admitted to the game for free with ID. The mighty…

Fog encompassed Wesleyan's Macomber Boathouse on April 8. The boathouse, built in 1992, is home for Wesleyan men’s and women’s crew. It’s located on the Connecticut River in the Harbor Park area of Middletown, and is 1/2 mile from campus. From the boathouse, one can view the Arrigoni Bridge’s arches peeking out above the fog. (Photos by Olivia Drake)

Ring in the new year with a night of entertainment, dancing, music, laughing, fireworks and crafts in downtown Middletown. Starting at 3 p.m. Dec. 31, the City of Middletown will host its second Middnight on Main 2013, an alcohol-free celebration with unique activities for revelers of all ages, centered in the city's historic downtown. More than 10,000 people attended the 2012 event. Since Wesleyan is co-sponsoring the event, Wesleyan students, employees and their families are encouraged to attend. More than 100 events are packed into bank lobbies, performance halls, storefronts, churches and galleries, spanning four blocks in Middletown. Activities include a…

The City of Middletown hosted its first Middnight On Main New Year's Celebration on Dec. 31. The event, which was co-sponsored by Wesleyan, drew more than 10,000 midnight revelers of all ages from the Middletown community and surrounding region. Food, fun, live performance art, and fireworks created bright memories for all. The event also included a jazz piano performance by Wesleyan’s Jazz Ensemble coach Noah Baerman and a performance by SteveSongs' Steve Roslonek ’93. Middnight on Main is featured in the video below: [youtube width="640" height="420"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1ZZHdHA5gs&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]

Wesleyan Sponsors First Juneteenth Parade in Middletown

Wesleyan Joins Middletown To Recognize Amistad Journey to Freedom Day

Wesleyan Partners With Middletown Public Schools to Encourage Girls in Science

On the Importance of Juneteenth

Green Street Teaching and Learning Center Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Balloon Animals, Marching Band, Music During 2nd Annual Middletown Day

Wesleyan, City Officials Sign Memorandum of Understanding

Wes Welcomes Neighbors to Middletown Day Oct. 18

Faculty, Staff Participate in Crowd-Generated Performance Art on Connecticut River

Foggy Morning at the Boathouse, Connecticut River

Music, Dancing, Fireworks at Middnight on Main 2013 Celebration

Wesleyan Co-Sponsors Inaugural New Years Eve Event in Middletown