SERC is excited to share some exciting news from one of our integral partners at the Witness Stone Project. Please read the following letter.

Dear Friends of the Witness Stones Project,

We’re thrilled to announce that the Witness Stones Project has officially joined Historic New England as the educational arm of its Stopping Stones program. We will be continuing the important work that we have done since 2017 and we welcome more opportunities to educate students throughout the country.

This collaboration marks a significant milestone in our shared efforts to commemorate the lives of enslaved individuals and teach their stories to a broader audience. As you know, the Witness Stones Project has placed more than three hundred memorial stones in seven states and developed an award-winning curriculum that engages students and communities in meaningful historical research. By joining forces with Historic New England and its Stopping Stones program, our work will not only continue but expand in reach and impact. The Stopping Stones initiative has already installed more than ninety markers across eight states, creating a network of remembrance that this new partnership will strengthen and grow.

Both Stopping Stones and the Witness Stones were inspired by Germany’s Stolpersteine project, which honors the memory of victims of the Holocaust. This shared foundation of place-based remembrance and public education makes our union a natural fit. Our combined efforts will ensure that the lives and legacies of enslaved people are recognized, remembered, and taught to future generations.

This new chapter will be led by a team with a deep personal connection to the work. Pat Wilson Pheanious, who served as the founding Chair and former Executive Director of the Witness Stones Project, will now lead the Stopping Stones program as its Director. A ninth-generation descendant of enslaved individuals in Guilford, Connecticut, Pat’s family history was among the first researched by the Witness Stones Project. Supported by Dr. Alissa Butler, the Director of the Study Center at Historic New England, Pat will work closely with Stopping Stones Assistant Director and Researcher Mikayla Harden and Liz Lightfoot, the Witness Stones Project’s former Director of Operations. In her new role as Stopping Stones School and Youth Program Manager, Liz will continue to use Witness Stones trademarked curriculum to work with schools and communities who wish to engage in a deep exploration of historical records and to tell the stories and celebrate the contributions of individuals their community had forgotten.

We want to assure you that this important work and your connection to it will continue. For the schools, churches, and community organizations that have dedicated their time to this project, rest assured that your work is being preserved and will serve as a foundational part of our expanded efforts. And for the communities where we are currently working and will work in the future, the important research, education, and installations will proceed with the full backing of Historic New England’s resources.

Should you have any questions about this transition or the future of the project, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Pat Pheanious (ppheanious@historicnewengland.org), Mikayla Harden (mharden@historicnewengland.org), or Liz Lightfoot (llightfoot@historicnewengland.org).

We believe that our new home within Historic New England, a renowned institution dedicated to preservation and education, will ensure that our work remains strong, protected, and accessible to communities nationwide. Together, we will continue to work to gain a richer, more inclusive understanding of our shared history.

With our sincere gratitude,

Grace Zimmer
Chair of the Board of Directors

Witness Stones Project