Documenting Connecticut During COVID-19

Sign Promoting Social Distancing at Big Y Grocery Store, Bishops Corner, West Hartford. Photographed by Ilene Frank, March 28, 2020

To see a sample of the images that have been submitted, click here.

As the state’s official historical society and one of the oldest in the nation, the Connecticut Historical Society has been collecting and archiving items that document our state’s past since 1825. Our collection includes more than 4 million manuscripts, graphics, books, artifacts, and other historical materials.

That brings us to now. We are currently living through history! We need your help to document what is going on in your homes, at your jobs, and in communities across Connecticut. We want to hear your story. We want to know how you and your family are experiencing the current pandemic and “new normal.”

Below are examples of what we’re looking for:
Writings
Signage
Photos
Drawings, paintings, and other forms of art you’re creating and documenting
Short videos (limited to 500MB file size, for larger files please email Molly_Woods@chs.org)

Please stay safe when documenting these historic times. Do not put yourself in danger when capturing photographs or videos.

How Can I Help?

We have set up a special online resource that will allow you to share your stories, photos and other items so future generations can understand what this experience was like in Connecticut.

Why is this Important?

Items in our collection let us hear the voices and see the people from our past who are living all the ranges of human experience and emotion. Through the items we collect, we can understand their joys and disappointments, as well as their achievements and failings. And yes, we can even understand the seemingly dull tasks of everyday life – what the weather was like, the neighborhood gossip, or what someone ate for dinner.

Please take the time to read and respond to each of the fields in the below form before uploading your item(s) for consideration. Please note, items can not be considered unless the form is completely filled out with the needed information.

Future researchers, visitors, and Connecticut residents will have you to thank for sharing a part of your lives with them as they work to understand this time in history!

(*required field)

COVID-19 Resource Submission

Email*
Name*
First Last
What date was this object created?*
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Where was this object created? (City, County, State)*
What else should we know about this object to create some context? i.e. Do you want to identify any individuals in the photograph? Why did your family decide to create this journal?*
I hereby give the Connecticut Historical Society ("CHS") a royalty-free, non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, and fully sub-licensable license to copy, digitize, reproduce, edit, translate, create derivative works, distribute, and publicly display and perform certain materials described below. I agree that the CHS may add the material to the collection according to the CHS Collection Management Policy and associated Collections Development and Acquisitions Policy Statements and to make available to researchers in a manner consistent with the CHS practices. I agree that the CHS may utilize any medium or media now existing or that will exist in the future to achieve the above-described purposes.
- Yes
I am over the age of eighteen. I have read the foregoing and fully understand the contents thereof.*
- Yes
Submit your items here. File uploads are limited to 500 MB. If you wish to upload items larger than 500 MB, please email Molly_Woods@chs.org for instructions.*
Drop files here or

Accepted file types: doc, pdf, jpg, tif, mp4, Max. file size: 500 MB.
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