Black and white photo of several workers on a tobacco plantation with an X over two individuals

Exploring the Shade Tobacco Industry of the Connecticut River Valley

Welcome to the Shade Research Collective website. We are a group of scholars and cultural workers reseasrching the significance of our region's tobacco plantations. The Connecticut River Valley, which spans several small New England states, has a long history of interconnections with the world. This industry has put in motion a global circulation of capital, labor, and dried leaves. These connections build a deeper appreciation for the course of development of the Tobacco Valley and the people who make this place home. This interdisciplinary collective explores new ways to trace the local, regional, national, and global reverberations of the valley’s agricultural work.

Learn more about our work