"Elephant Slaughter, African Slavery And America's Pianos"

"For the better part of a century, from 1840 to around 1940, the U.S. was the world's biggest buyer of ivory. Hunters killed hundreds of thousands of elephants, and uncounted numbers of Africans were enslaved to carry the tusks to ships bound for America. Most of that ivory went to a tiny town in Connecticut — a town that's now grappling with this dark part of its past."

"The illegal trade in ivory from African elephants has tripled in the past 15 years, to the extent that biologists for the creatures' future existence.

Most of the ivory is sold in China and Vietnam, and these days the U.S. government and international conservation groups urge those countries to arrest the traffickers. But for the better part of a century, from 1840 to around 1940, the U.S. was the world's biggest buyer of ivory. Hunters killed hundreds of thousands of elephants, and uncounted numbers of Africans were enslaved to carry the tusks to ships bound for America.

Most of that ivory went to a tiny town in Connecticut — a town that's now grappling with this dark part of its past."

Christopher Joyce reports for NPR's Morning Edition August 18, 2014.