Silences of New York History: Legacies of the New York Slave Revolt of 1712

Author

Jelissa N. Caldwell, The Graduate Center, City University of New YorkFollow

Date of Degree

2-2021

Document Type

Capstone Project

Degree Name

M.A.

Program

Liberal Studies

Advisor

Libby Garland

Subject Categories

Africana Studies | American Studies | Digital Humanities | Public History | Social History | United States History

Keywords

New York History, Colonial History, New Amsterdam, British New York, African-American History

Abstract

Silences of New York History is an interactive website project dedicated to the study and uplifting of little-known historical narratives of Black history weaved within the main narrative of New York City history. It is designed to be an accessible platform of primary and secondary sources for 4^th-12^th grade students wanting a supplementary archive of information and histories that may not be directly taught in public school education. This project focuses on the New York Slave Revolt of 1712 because it is the first recorded Black, enslaved uprising in the city’s history. By focusing on this early history, this project explores the historical and social contexts of Black enslavement along with the increasing restrictions and discriminations against Black livelihood which started in New York’s earliest colonial periods. Using the 1712 revolt, this project addresses the questions of what race relations and the institution of slavery were like in New York City during the years leading up to 1712 revolt, and what were immediate social impacts the revolt had on social relations and racial discrimination in the colony. By weaving a site that links documents, illustrations, cartography, and various interactive sources, this project endeavors to enact as a model of learning based in critical pedagogy through an exploration of a silenced history of within New York City’s mainstream narrative.

Recommended Citation

Caldwell, Jelissa N., "Silences of New York History: Legacies of the New York Slave Revolt of 1712" (2021). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/4223