History of Slavery in New York City
from sovereign beings to shackled souls back to sovereign beings, Marie D. Brown artifacts, Harlem, NYC 2014 From Wikipedia: History of Slavery in New York Slavery in New York began when the Dutch West India Company imported 11 African slaves to New Amsterdam in 1626, with the first slave auction being held in New Amsterdam in 1655. The British expanded the use of slavery, and in 1703, more than 42 percent of New York City households held slaves, often as domestic servants and laborers. Others worked as artisans or in shipping and various trades in the city. Slaves were also used in farming on Long Island and in other locations of the state. During the American Revolutionary War , the British troops occupied New York City in 1776. The Crown promised freedom to slaves who left rebel masters and thousands moved to the city for refuge with the British. By 1780, 10,000 blacks lived in New York. Many were slaves who had escaped there f...
