Everyone in the city should take a moment and learn about what happened on this important day in American history. Instead of screaming about immigrants, it would be worthwhile to learn about what happened in this area on this day.
Bill Culhane was a member of the 1977 Bicentennial Commission and posted this message on the News-Times forum about the burning of the city (it's sad that the newspaper didn't do a story on the fire and opted instead to publish a meaningless hitpiece on the immigration boycott).
On April 26, 1777, General Tyron and 2,000 British troops marched to Danbury. Their ships were anchored in Norwalk, Connecticut. The British soldiers wanted to come to Danbury to destroy the military supplies that were being housed here for the colonial Army. They also wanted to burn homes of the colonists to show their power.
Many people who were loyal to the British before the burning of Danbury became patriots after the fire. The people of Danbury saw no reason for the British to burn private homes and farmlands. They did not understand why the British would even burn the homes of people loyal to the British.
The homes and farmlands of the people of Danbury were very important to them. They hated to run away from their homes for safety. They hated to come back and see their home burned to the ground.
The burning of Danbury by the British lit the fire of war in the hearts of the farmers, merchants, and craftsman in Danbury. However, throughout the war, some people who lived in Danbury believed in the British. These people were seen helping the British with the fires. They would take hay or straw into the houses and set them afire.
Sometimes a home in Danbury was kept from being burned if it became a headquarters for the British. However, when the British left it was usually burned as well. Mr. Stephen Jarvis, Senior was a Tory, a man who believed in the British. His house was the only house on his side of Main Street.
There are two references on the seal to the British burning of Danbury in 1777. The central motto, on a diagonal band which divides the seal, is "Restituimus" or "We have Restored". Underscoring this point, atop the shield, is a phoenix rising from a fiery crown. The bird has in its beak a second motto, "Perege Modo", translated from the Latin as "Ever Onward" or Let Us Go Forward".
As bad as it was for the News-Times to not write anything about the fire in today's paper, it's equally disappointing that Mayor Boughton didn't do anything to commemorate this significant event today. As a former history teacher, Mayor Boughton should be the first person to know how important this day is in the history of Danbury as this city was a major supply depot during the war.
Instead of threatening to cut off funding to the Hispanic Center of Greater Danbury because of their school boycott, maybe Boughton should do something more constructive with his time like visiting the various schools in the area and speak to the kids about the importance of this day.
The News-Times not covering this event in today's paper is one thing, but you would expect more from a mayor who's last job was teaching history.
UPDATE (4.27.06): I forgot to mention this link. It's from Connecticut Heritage Gateway and it has great information on the history of Danbury.
04.25.22 (RADIO): WSHU Latino group call on Connecticut lawmakers to open a Danbury charter school
06.03.22 (OP-ED): KUSHNER: "Career Academy ‘a great deal for Danbury"
On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
The amended complaint states that plaintiffs sought to remedy the continued discriminatory and unauthorized enforcement of federal immigration laws against the Latino residents of the City of Danbury by Danbury's mayor and its police department.
Plaintiffs allege that the arrests violated their Fourth Amendment rights and the Connecticut Constitution because defendants conducted the arrests without valid warrants, in the absence of exigent circumstances, and without probable cause to believe that plaintiffs were engaged in unlawful activity. In addition, plaintiffs allege that defendants improperly stopped, detained, investigated, searched and arrested plaintiffs. Plaintiffs also allege that defendants violated their Fourteenth Amendment rights when they intentionally targeted plaintiffs, and arrested and detained them on the basis of their race, ethnicity and perceived national origin. Plaintiffs raise First Amendment, Due Process and tort claims.
Plaintiffs request declaratory relief, damages and attorneys fees.
Reference to the fire can also be found on the city's logo.
On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
