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In the Shadow of Slavery: African Americans in New York City, 1626-1863
"The black experience in the antebellum South has been thoroughly documented. But histories set in the North are few. In the Shadow of Slavery, then, is a big and ambitious book, one in which insights about race and class in New York City abound. Leslie Harris has masterfully brought more than two centuries of African American history back to life in this illuminating new work."—David Roediger, author of The Wages of Whiteness
In 1991 in lower Manhattan, a team of construction workers made an astonishing discovery. Just two blocks from City Hall, under twenty feet of asphalt, concrete, and rubble, lay the remains of an eighteenth-century "Negro Burial Ground." Closed in 1790 and covered over by roads and buildings throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the site turned out to be the largest such find in North America, containing the remains of as many as 20,000 African Americans. The graves revealed to New Yorkers and the nation an aspect of American history long hidden: the vast number of enslaved blacks who labored to create our nation's largest city.
In the Shadow of Slavery lays bare this history of African Americans in New York City, starting with the arrival of the first slaves in 1626, moving through the turbulent years before emancipation in 1827, and culminating in one of the most terrifying displays of racism in U.S. history, the New York City Draft Riots of 1863. Drawing on extensive travel accounts, autobiographies, newspapers, literature, and organizational records, Leslie M. Harris extends beyond prior studies of racial discrimination by tracing the undeniable impact of African Americans on class, politics, and community formation and by offering vivid portraits of the lives and aspirations of countless black New Yorkers.
Written with clarity and grace, In the Shadow of Slavery is an ambitious new work that will prove indispensable to historians of the African American experience, as well as anyone interested in the history of New York City.
In 1991 in lower Manhattan, a team of construction workers made an astonishing discovery. Just two blocks from City Hall, under twenty feet of asphalt, concrete, and rubble, lay the remains of an eighteenth-century "Negro Burial Ground." Closed in 1790 and covered over by roads and buildings throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the site turned out to be the largest such find in North America, containing the remains of as many as 20,000 African Americans. The graves revealed to New Yorkers and the nation an aspect of American history long hidden: the vast number of enslaved blacks who labored to create our nation's largest city.
In the Shadow of Slavery lays bare this history of African Americans in New York City, starting with the arrival of the first slaves in 1626, moving through the turbulent years before emancipation in 1827, and culminating in one of the most terrifying displays of racism in U.S. history, the New York City Draft Riots of 1863. Drawing on extensive travel accounts, autobiographies, newspapers, literature, and organizational records, Leslie M. Harris extends beyond prior studies of racial discrimination by tracing the undeniable impact of African Americans on class, politics, and community formation and by offering vivid portraits of the lives and aspirations of countless black New Yorkers.
Written with clarity and grace, In the Shadow of Slavery is an ambitious new work that will prove indispensable to historians of the African American experience, as well as anyone interested in the history of New York City.
387 pages, Paperback
First published February 2, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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August 15, 2016I really regret that it took me so long to find Leslie Harris's 2004 history of African-American life in New York City. WOW. This is crucial background for anyone trying to understand our city in general, and specifically the racism that pervades today. From the first moment that black people were brought to New York (even as a Dutch colony) as slaves, they were punished for acting African. The Europeans' obsession with repressing Difference is a main motivator for many structures of city life including geography. (Black people have been constantly gentrified out of their neighborhoods since Day One.) From the 1600's on, white New Yorkers have been focused on controlling Blackness: especially public expressions of Blackness. At the same time, Harris reports that as far back as the 1700's whites were trying to imitate Black dance. This combination of envy and punishment has been at the center of our city for almost four hundred years. Highly Recommended.
November 13, 2008
I found this book quite interesting because throughout American History, we don't hear much about Slavery in NYC rather than we learn and hear more about slavery in the south and in the periods before the civil war. This book provides another lens for historians to look through because it focuses only on the slaves and slavery in NYC. I found it very interesting when the author began talking about African American burial grounds found right here in manhattan. There were also a lot of different artifacts found at the burial site that held important information about life in the colonial eras of NYC. I also learned that Peter Stuyvesant was a cruel slave owner. Normally when we study Stuyvesant, we would never hear about the bad qualities of this great leader who started NYC. However, through this book, i founded out that he torture and was very harsh towards and to his slaves. Overall, this book really showed me how history is too complex and that we don't learn from a wide scope, rather we are picky about history and choose only the parts that we like to know about and parts we would not want to expose. (Over 300 pages)
March 25, 2023
Researching my next play often requires some dense history, and although I was only interested in the time up to about 1740, Harris's careful dissection of the class and race structures in early New York City during this time period filled crucial gaps that most people don't write about. I found the details about the mixing of free, indentured, and enslaved Africans (and Spanish Africans), and their long, close association with the white underclass fascinating.
And then there's the constant and unrelenting racism and literal risk to health and life faced by the free African Americans. I shake my head in awe at the strength of the people who survived these times.
The most heartbreaking for me was the story of the Seneca Village settlement, how it was founded and thrived until the land was taken and the homes and businesses razed for Central Park, denying the current residents their right to vote (the pittance given them was not enough to buy new property in the city) and denying their heirs their rightful property, earned the very hard way.
Again, this is not light reading. It is a deeply researched scholarly book about a fascinating time in history.
And then there's the constant and unrelenting racism and literal risk to health and life faced by the free African Americans. I shake my head in awe at the strength of the people who survived these times.
The most heartbreaking for me was the story of the Seneca Village settlement, how it was founded and thrived until the land was taken and the homes and businesses razed for Central Park, denying the current residents their right to vote (the pittance given them was not enough to buy new property in the city) and denying their heirs their rightful property, earned the very hard way.
Again, this is not light reading. It is a deeply researched scholarly book about a fascinating time in history.
June 17, 2021
This detailed study of African American life in New York City before the Civil War is a must read for any readers interested in New York City history and the African American experience in the United States. African Americans and slaves were an integral part of NY from its inception as New Amsterdam. The author has done extensive research in not only what happened, but to whom it happened. Her research in individuals--both African American and European--and their organizations is impressive.
While this is an academic history, it is also a history of individuals which means it is not at all dry. I recommend it highly.
While this is an academic history, it is also a history of individuals which means it is not at all dry. I recommend it highly.
April 29, 2022
A fascinating look at the little-known subject of race and racism in NYC pre-Civil War. Deeply researched and filled with insight. Much of what Harris writes about has bearing on life in NYC today. Highly recommend.
December 12, 2013
I don't understand how anyone can like this book at all. This is the worst book I have ever read in my life. I would rather sit through a Twilight marathon have it followed by an erotic literature book club meeting than read this again.
3 Reasons Why I HATE It:
1.)
Harris repeats the same thing too many times. I remember reading the line "men, women, children both white and black" a ridiculous amount of times.
I understand that there are times when repetition is needed because it helps the reader understand what they are reading. It does not, however, help anyone when you repeat the same phrase, for the same reason A PARAGRAPH away from the first time.
2.)
Harris does not understand the concept of a time line. I understand that there will be times when a writer feels the need to mention something in the past or the future, a couple of times is even encouraged.
Specially because it helps younger readers relate historic events from the past to the present and gives them more insight.
Writing from 1822 to 1809 to 1830 to 1820 to 1832, while name dropping like it's going out of style does nothing but confuse the reader!
3.)
IT IS NOT A CRIME TO HAVE SHORT SENTENCES OR TO BREAK UP A PARAGRAPH.
There is no excuse for the a whole page dedicated to ONE paragraph (though admittedly there were two sentences at the bottom for the next paragraph).
There were some points I did like.
For example, she spoke of interracial marriage (FINALLY!) and the way the North was slightly better in their treatment of African Americans.
I also liked that she mentioned the Spanish Blacks, they normally don't get mentioned much. And the recording of their names was hysterical.
All in all, it was a horrible read, I gave it one star because (a) it was the lowest star possible (b) the reasons mentioned above.
3 Reasons Why I HATE It:
1.)
Harris repeats the same thing too many times. I remember reading the line "men, women, children both white and black" a ridiculous amount of times.
I understand that there are times when repetition is needed because it helps the reader understand what they are reading. It does not, however, help anyone when you repeat the same phrase, for the same reason A PARAGRAPH away from the first time.
2.)
Harris does not understand the concept of a time line. I understand that there will be times when a writer feels the need to mention something in the past or the future, a couple of times is even encouraged.
Specially because it helps younger readers relate historic events from the past to the present and gives them more insight.
Writing from 1822 to 1809 to 1830 to 1820 to 1832, while name dropping like it's going out of style does nothing but confuse the reader!
3.)
IT IS NOT A CRIME TO HAVE SHORT SENTENCES OR TO BREAK UP A PARAGRAPH.
There is no excuse for the a whole page dedicated to ONE paragraph (though admittedly there were two sentences at the bottom for the next paragraph).
There were some points I did like.
For example, she spoke of interracial marriage (FINALLY!) and the way the North was slightly better in their treatment of African Americans.
I also liked that she mentioned the Spanish Blacks, they normally don't get mentioned much. And the recording of their names was hysterical.
All in all, it was a horrible read, I gave it one star because (a) it was the lowest star possible (b) the reasons mentioned above.
November 4, 2012
This book was an eye-opening experience for me, covering an aspect of slavery that is usually overlooked in our culture. It seems to me not only a definitive book that is a reliable source, but it is also one that is highly readable, and it should appeal not only to scholars of the subject but to popular readers as well.
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August 19, 2016Fantastic book on a subject that is not discussed and needs to be. It didn't depress me as much as I thought it would. I'm not sure if that's good or bad. I loved how the author pointed out the key differences between New York slaves and antebellum southern slaves. New York's racial history is contradictory to say the very least.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews