Interpreting the Contributions of African-Americans in Antebellum New York at Eight Historic House Sites in New York City

FAIN: BK-50051-07

Historic House Trust of New York City (Flushing, NY 11368-4145)
Sandra Elaine Huber (Project Director: September 2006 to January 2009)

Consultation with scholars and museum professionals to develop an interpretive plan for eight historic sites that tells collectively the story of African American life in antebellum New York.

The Trust seeks a consultation grant of $15,000 from the NEH to conduct two symposia of scholars, museum professionals and a lead researcher toward developing enhanced public education programs about the contributions of African-Americans in antebellum New York, as evidenced in eight Historic House Trust sites. Within HHT?s collection of house museums, there is a wealth of information still to be identified, synthesized and presented about the lives and contributions of enslaved and free African-Americans ? prior to the Revolution, through emancipation in 1827, and until the Civil War ? in the then-rural homes and farms of New York?s boroughs. The grant will subsidize the costs of meetings to analyze pertinent historical evidence from the eight sites, identify themes common to the sites and appropriate for enhanced development, direct additional specific research and propose effective interpretive strategies to make these humanities themes accessible to the public.