Crisis Decade (1850 – 1860)

…ed to expand in the United States. The Fugitive Slave Law was part of Congress’ attempt to balance the nation’s free and slave state interests. Instead, the line between free and slave blurred entirely and thousands of free black people in Brooklyn and beyond were at the whim of an unjust law. The city itself continued to rapidly expand, this time along its extensive waterfront. Sugar, tobacco and cotton – all valuable commodities produced by unf…

Abolitionist Brooklyn (1828 – 1849)

…nd legal equality for all Americans. In July 1834, anti-abolition riots flared across Manhattan. In response, a number of white abolitionists relocated to Brooklyn, where they joined a thriving anti-slavery movement led by black Brooklynites for over two decades. The Panic of 1837 led to a decade-long economic depression that ended Brooklyn’s rapid growth. Reduced property prices enticed black New Yorkers to buy land. In doing so they confronted…

A Gradual Emancipation (1783 – 1827)

…ents, mostly of Dutch, English, and African descent, lived and worked on the county’s large farms. Not all were free. In 1738, 25% of Kings County’s residents were held in slavery. In 1790, this number had risen to 30%. On average, 60% of white families were slaveholders; in outer areas, such as the town of Flatbush, this number was as high as 74%. Kings County was a slaveholding capital in New York State. Slaveholding families that became wealth…

Timeline

…ents, mostly of Dutch, English, and African descent, lived and worked on the county’s large farms. Not all were free. In 1738, 25% of Kings County’s residents were held in slavery. In 1790, this number had risen to 30%. On average, 60% of white families were slaveholders; in outer areas, such as the town of Flatbush, this number was as high as 74%. Kings County was a slaveholding capital in New York State. Slaveholding families that became wealth…

Games

…from his enslaver Mary Brown in Baltimore. Manhattan and Brooklyn abolitionists rallied together to raise the $800 needed for Hamlet’s release. The Freedman’s Bureau After the Civil War, Congress established the Freedman’s Bureau.The Brooklyn Branch, which opened in 1866, assists, educates, and aids free people living in Brooklyn. Peter Croger Peter Croger, one of the founders and trustees of the first African-American church in Brooklyn, establ…

Abolitionist Biographies

…wife Harriet and six children. His brother Nathaniel was also an engraver and created portraits of the Amistad freedom fighters including Joseph Cinque. Jocelyn’s funeral service was held at the New New-England Congregational Church on South 9th Street, Williamsburg. African American men and women attended his funeral. New York abolitionist Charles Ray called Jocelyn “one of the bravest advocates of the anti-slavery cause.” MOREL, Junius Junius…

For Educators

…;br /> Standards Introduction and Alignment to Standards This curriculum guide accompanies the In Pursuit of Freedom project. Through a variety of primary-source based activities, students can build a deeper understanding of the history of abolitionism and anti-slavery activism in Brooklyn. These documents are in PDF format and require Acrobat Reader. In Pursuit of Freedom outlines the development of the abolition movement in Brooklyn, a city…

Civil War & Beyond (1861 – 1867)

…ain.” Read more… Close The organizing committees consisted of Elizabeth Gloucester, Mary J. Lyons, Christiana Freeman, Mary Wilson, Sarah Morel, and Sarah Tompkins, all anti-slavery activists, whose husbands were prominent abolitionists as well. The fair raised $1,100 (or about $30,000 today) for the Colored Orphan Asylum. [Borough Hall with Montague Street on right]. 1880. Eugene L. Armbruster photographs and scrapbooks. V1974.1.1299. Brooklyn…

Walking Tours

WALKING TOURS In Pursuit of Freedom explores the everyday heroes of Brooklyn’s anti-slavery movement. The public history project is a partnership of Brooklyn Historical Society, Weeksville Heritage Center, and Irondale Ensemble Project. Download the Walking Tour Guide DUMBO DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN BROOKLYN HEIGHTS WEEKSVILLE WILLIAMSBURG DUMBO Brooklyn’s anti-slavery movement began in the neighborhoods we now call DUMBO and Vinegar Hill. At the end o…

Glossary

…rom the United States between 1860 and 1861. Draft A system for selecting individuals from a group for military service. Emancipation A system under which people are treated as property, to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Enslavement/ Slavery A system under which people are treated as property, to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Fugitive One who flees or tries to escape slavery. Kings County Kings County, New York original…