Middlebury honors Twilight, portrait of Bright in the works

This past month marks the 200th anniversary since Alexander Twilight became the first Black man to graduate from a college in the United States, and his alma mater was Middlebury College.

I was honored to have Middlebury ask me to speak at its symposium to mark this auspicious occasion. He is finally getting his recognition with the recent unveiling of his portrait in the Statehouse and more people learning about his incredible legacy as an educator and legislator. It should not have taken 200 years, however.

We have recently learned of the death of Louvenia Dorsey Bright, the first Black woman and woman of color to serve in the Legislature about 170 years after Twilight. She represented South Burlington 30 years ago.

I stand on her shoulders as the second woman of color to serve in the Legislature and the first in the Senate. I am working on commissioning a portrait of Bright to hang as a place of convening and honor, so that we may all feel welcome in the Statehouse.

When I think of the portraits of Twilight and other barrier-breaking leaders like Gov. Madeleine Kunin, it strikes me that they are looking at the viewer. Many portraits look to the side or down. It is as though they are inviting you to be there and reminding you that you belong.

We can all take something from the life of Twilight, who worked hard, gave back and loved teaching his students. As one of his students reflected in the late 1800s: “In that old academy, many young men (and women) were filled with lofty ambitions and stimulated to noble attainments, and in them Twilight still lives a mighty and an abiding power for good in the world.”

Kesha Ram Hinsdale, a Democrat from Shelburne, serves the towns of South Burlington, Shelburne, Charlotte, Hinesburg, Milton, Burlington, St. George, Westford, Underhill, Jericho, Richmond, Winooski, Williston, Essex and Bolton in the Legislature.