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Depending on what you learned in high school history class, you might be surprised to discover that Brooklyn—an area firmly in the northern Union states—actually has significant ties to slavery. A new exhibit coming to the borough digs into that painful history.
Titled "Trace/s: Family History Research and the Legacy of Slavery in Brooklyn," the exhibit will open at the Center for Brooklyn History on January 30. While there are few firsthand testimonies from enslaved people in Brooklyn, the exhibit offers clues to what they endured. It also sheds light on the often-overlooked narratives of enslaved individuals in Kings County and the generational legacies of inequality. The exhibit is free to visit through August 30 in the center's Fransioli Gallery.
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Expect to see archival documents, rare personal accounts from enslaved Brooklynites and artwork that helps visitors visualize this period in Brooklyn's development. The exhibit also delves into genealogy and celebrates the work of family historians, researchers, and artists who trace their roots through this difficult past.
The exhibition is anchored by large-scale portrait paintings reflecting two family histories. First is born-and-raised Brooklynite Mildred Jones, the living great-great-granddaughter of Samuel Anderson, who was born enslaved in Flatbush, Brooklyn. The Center for Brooklyn History commissioned artist Rusty Zimmerman of the Free Portrait Project to create her portrait. The second is artwork of John A. Lott, the nephew of Jeremiah Lott, to whom Anderson was enslaved. This painting by Thomas Martin Jensen dates to 1880, offering a historical counterpoint to Jones's contemporary representation.
"Brooklyn's history of slavery shapes the borough we live in today: its contours, its street names, its economy and culture," Dominique Jean-Louis, chief historian at the Center for Brooklyn History, said in a press release. "While this history is rooted in painful inequality, confronting these origins helps us to better understand our contemporary moment."
“While this history is rooted in painful inequality, confronting these origins helps us to better understand our contemporary moment.”
As a complement to the exhibition, free special programming, including genealogy workshops, panel discussions, learning opportunities for educators and students, and walking tours, will engage visitors in meaningful conversations about history, identity, and justice.
"Trace/s" is supported by the Dutch Culture USA FUTURE 400 program by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in New York. The program, announced last year, seeks to look candidly at New York City's past 400 years after colonization.
"Four hundred years ago, the first Dutch settlers arrived in what is now New York City, and, soon after, established New Amsterdam and Breukelen/Brooklyn. Our cultural program FUTURE 400 centers a multitude of voices—Indigenous, African-American, Dutch, and others—who made up the vibrant tapestry that was New Amsterdam, and whose diversity continues to distinguish New York City to this day," Pauline Genee, head of culture of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the United States, said in a statement. "Together with our partners FUTURE 400 endeavors to contribute to an expanding understanding of New York, with honesty and inclusivity. Trace/s adds to this narrative, highlighting the overlooked histories of enslaved individuals in New Amsterdam and New York City, and the legacy of inequality."
Additional support for the exhibit comes from the Alvin and Fanny B. Thalheimer Foundation in memory of Bill Coleman.