Boston Trowtrow Gravesite

Boston Trowtrow: Black Governor and Leader in Colonial Connecticut

The gravestone of Boston Trowtrow bears the inscription:

“In Memory of Boston Trowtrow Govener of ye African Tribe he Died May 28 1772 At 66.”

Trowtrow served as Black Governor of Norwich from 1770 to 1772, a role that emerged from African political traditions and became a form of self-determination and resistance within Connecticut’s Black community. The Black Governor elections allowed both enslaved and free Africans to assert their humanity, leadership, and political agency, while also organizing for the abolition of slavery.

A Rare and Powerful Legacy

Boston Trowtrow’s gravesite, located at the rear of the cemetery in an area designated for Black residents, is one of the few remaining tangible connections to Connecticut’s tradition of Black Governors. His legacy stands as a testament to the resilience and leadership of African Americans in colonial New England, marking an important chapter in the fight for freedom and equality.

This site is open to the public.