Three years ago, after Saturday Night Live lampooned the state of Vermont as a “Caucasian paradise—an agrarian community where everyone can live in harmony because every single person is white”— Michael Schirling, secretary of Vermont’s Agency of Commerce and Community Development, responded with good humor.
In addition to sending the cast members flannel shirts from the Vermont Flannel Company, he invited the show’s viewers to learn about the state’s rich history and visit the African American Heritage Trail, which showcases the stories of Black Vermonters. Click to read about the Vermont African American Heritage Trail and George Washington Henderson, as told by Dr. Spencer Kuchle, Associate Director for Collections and Interpretation.