#BlackHistoryMonth
In 1825, Black residents of New York City began buying over 100 plots of land north of the city. They took advantage of low property prices from subdivided farmland so they could seek refuge from the crowded and poverty-stricken neighborhoods of the time.
In 1825, Black residents of New York City began buying over 100 plots of land north of the city. They took advantage of low property prices from subdivided farmland so they could seek refuge from the crowded and poverty-stricken neighborhoods of the time.
Soon it became home to about 1,600 people. Among them was a predominantly black community that bought affordable plots to build homes, churches, and a school. It became known as Seneca Village.
Over half of the residents owned their own homes, giving them the right to vote, which was restricted due to property quotas. As the town grew, Irish and German immigrants moved to Seneca and were tight-knit with the Black community in a rare example of integration at the time.
Everything changed on July 21, 1853. New York took control of the land through eminent domain, eviction, and demolition. The media of the time derided them as squatters, despite their ownership of the land.
It was one of the first of many African-American communities to be destroyed by eminent domain and the construction of public infrastructure.
Why was this self-sustaining and prosperous town destroyed?
To make way for "The Central Park" of New York City.
Why was this self-sustaining and prosperous town destroyed?
To make way for "The Central Park" of New York City.
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