Chairperson Bernicestine McLeod Bailey of Westport, Connecticut is President and Founder of McLeod Associates an information technology consulting firm. Prior to McLeod, she was a Systems Engineer with IBM. She is also Vice President for Operations of Aisha & Co., a family gift company whose signature product is Ishababies®, a line of multicultural plush dolls. In the volunteer arena, Ms. McLeod Bailey is Secretary of TEAM Westport. Bernicestine McLeod Bailey has served as a Director of Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, as Director of the Westport Library, as Secretary of the REACH Prep Board, and Treasurer of the Mid-Fairfield County Dress for Success Board. She is the Immediate Past President of the Fairfield County (CT) Chapter of The Links Inc. and past president of the Fairfield/Westchester Chapter of the Independent Computer Consultants Association. Bernicestine McLeod Bailey is an alumna (Economics) and trustee emerita of Brown University.

On “April 10, 1821, two months before Bridgeport became an independent town, Seth B. Jones conveyed an existing house to people of color. John Feeley (1781-1862) and Jacob Freeman (died August 22, 1832) each secured “an undivided half interest in land and dwelling house and other buildings in Bridgeport, which suggests some sort of close relationship between these two families. Feeley and Freeman both appear on Bridgeport’s first tax list in 1821, each assessed at $3.00. The house was one-half mile to the south of Bridgeport center “on the road running from the Episcopal Church to Wells Tongue” (#8 on the map, now Broad Street).

Bridgeport Downtown Special Services District (DSSD) will honor Mary and Eliza Freeman with a mural to be painted on the north-facing wall of a commercial building on the east side of Main Street. What a great location! The mission of the DSSD is “to promote the preservation and development of the downtown business district; make the area more attractive and accessible; and enhance the public perception of downtown Bridgeport through overseeing and managing its appearance, security, and cleanliness. The DSSD is operated by a Board of Commissioners representing downtown property owners. The artist has not yet been selected.