Two professors at Eastern Connecticut State University recently shared their documentary series detailing the culturally rich history of Connecticut tobacco farming. An on-campus screening of “Stepping Into the Shade,” produced and directed by Professors Brian Day and Kristen Morgan, took place on March 12 in the Student Center Theatre.

"Stepping Into the Shade" tells of the people who labored on Connecticut's tobacco farms in the Civil Rights era, including migrant workers from Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Poland. Many were also students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU's) who worked on the farms during the summer, including Martin Luther King Jr.

The film was initially a short documentary directed by Andrew Ellison, a student of Day and Morgan. The three began work on the series over the following several years before the series debuted on June 1, 2024 at the Westport (Connecticut) Library.

The docuseries's host is June Archer, a seasoned showbusiness professional from Connecticut. Archer is a published author of several self-help books and currently serves as creator and host of the podcast "The Winner's Circle" on 50 Cent's "ThisIs50" platform.

Following the screening, Day and Morgan held a Q&A session for students, faculty, and staff. “We have always received good support from Eastern and it has been a launching pad to help us find other resources,” said Day.

These resources were numerous in the form of interviewees with valuable stories to add to the film. “It was a snowball effect. We got one name, then another, and another,” said Day.

For Day, a point of emphasis in telling the film’s story effectively was “bringing real people into it. We traveled around the South to interview people for 15 minutes. We really wanted to tell their stories.”

Day added that the film will be featured in Eastern’s Green Frog Film Festival this year, which will center on themes of sustainability.

“The story is relevant beyond just Connecticut,” said Morgan, who “grew up in Virginia and was always a history buff.” She continued: “It’s had an impact in other places.”

Morgan drew inspiration from Professor Alycia Bright-Holland’s 2017 play “Thread City,” another tale of Connecticut history. The two later collaborated on “Cultivating Dignity,” a theatre performance in spring 2021 that detailed Martin Luther King Jr.’s summer in Connecticut.

Morgan enjoyed a mostly friendly environment when traveling to make the film. “To be invited into people’s homes and restaurants … the hospitality was amazing,” she said.