By Jonathan Stankiewicz

CCSU history professor Robert Wolff will be giving a lecture on Elihu Burritt in the special collections reading room on Nov. 16 to try and “makes sense” of Burritt.

Burritt, the “learned blacksmith,” was a resident of New Britain and could arguably be considered its greatest resident.

The lecture, at noon, will feature Wolff trying to figure out who Burritt was and what he did.

While being a blacksmith by trade, Burritt taught himself many languages and disciplines.

“Burritt propelled himself into the peace movements and antislavery campaigns,” said Wolff, a 14-year professor. “He was extremely bright.”

Burrit was a part of the ocean penny postage movement, an internationally inexpensive way of communication.

“Why don’t we know him?” asked Wolff. “Burritt was one of a kind and was involved in some major movements.”

Known for being an early advocate for the abolition of slavery, Burritt formed a plan, borrowed from the British, called “compensation emancipation,” an idea that would pay slave owners to free their slaves at the time.

“Burritt has this campaign in the United States,” said Wolff, “and he’s the only guy.”

Burritt, who never got married, worked hard for what he believed in.

“Burritt really went his own way. He was thoughtful and radical [in his views], and saw the British as the example for the world,” said Wolff. “Burrit is a genuine figure for New Britain,” said Wolff, “and for students.”

Wolff wants to talk about how Burritt became a symbol for the library.

“Burritt is well known internationally,” said Wolff, “and he is New Britain’s most famous intellectual.”

Wolff described Burritt as “restless” in his search for knowledge and his “love for learning.”

Burritt couldn’t satisfy his mind, said Wolff.

Wolff, who is working on a book about The Amistad, the famous slave rebellion story from the 1840s, is looking forward to the lecture.

Wolff hinted that he would be talking about a man named James Pennington, an escaped slave, during the lecture, comparing Pennington to Burritt because they “lived at the same time.”

Pennington was a “fugitive blacksmith” who fled to Connecticut and taught himself how to read and write and joined the fight to abolish slavery.

“Pennington was also very famous in his day,” said Wolff.

The lecture is open to the public and all are welcome to attend.

Additionally, material from the Elihu Burritt Collection will be on display in the library throughout November.