New York Divided: Slavery and the Civil War Opens at New-York Historical Society

By Donna Lamb

Given the denial about the extent of slavery and its aftermath that’s so prevalent in this country today, you might have thought that, following its recent exhibition Slavery in New York 1620 – 1827, the New-York Historical Society would simply congratulate itself on its courage and call it a day. Not so, however. The Society has launched a second groundbreaking exhibition that picks up where the first left off. Entitled New York Divided: Slavery and the Civil War 1815 – 1870, this exhibition chronicles a city at odds with itself, torn between economic ties to the South and the noble ideals of some of its residents.

As Dr. James Horton, noted scholar and chief historian of the exhibition, stated, New York Divided tells the dramatic story of slavery and New York from 1827, when slavery became illegal in New York State, to 1865, when the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution ended slavery in the nation. "During this period New York's extensive financial interests in the cotton plantation economy of the South promoted a strong pro-southern, pro-slavery sentiment in the City," Horton explained. "Simultaneously, the City’s large African American presence helped make it a major national center of the political movement against slavery, bringing together some of the nation's most prominent white and African American reformers and activists who joined with their counterparts in other northern communities to act as the nation's conscience. Together, they challenged the hypocrisy of America's commitment to human freedom in light of its toleration and support of slavery."

The exhibition begins with the story of the early years of the American republic, underscoring the fact that emancipation was expected everywhere, in the South as well as the North, by slaveholders like Washington and Jefferson as well as by northern republicans and merchants. Unfortunately, however, the emancipation momentum was interrupted and reversed by the emergence of the cotton revolution, fueled by British industrialization and the expansion of the Cotton Belt. Meanwhile, an abolitionist movement gained force. The outbreak of the Civil War helped bring together support in the City for the Union, but also led to horrendous draft riots in which rioters vandalized and burned down entire neighborhoods and maimed and murdered hundreds of people of African descent. The exhibition concludes with the post-war "reconstruction" of New York, and previews the movements that led to the Civil Rights struggle of the 1960s.

"What I want people to take away from this exhibition is that African American history is American history made by Americans in America," declared Dr. Horton at the exhibition’s opening on November 17^th. "I want all Americans – white, Hispanic, Asian, as well as African American – to understand the extent to which this history unites us all. It should be plain to everyone that we created this history together."

New York Divided features precious historical artifacts, many never displayed before. Among the notable items are one of the only surviving lottery wheels that "started" the draft riots; newspapers and pamphlets of the Anti-Slavery Society; photographs of the Colored Orphan Asylum; and a rich assortment of prints, posters, and cartoons illustrating the coverage of important events. "Our challenge," said Richard Rabinowitz, the exhibition’s curator, "was making this history come alive for modern audiences, creating the feeling of what these documents were like when their ink was still wet."

This honest look at history also brings visitors face to face with disturbing racial attitudes and comments of the time. While the New-York Historical Society (NYHS) certainly does not endorse these bigoted views, it saw it as necessary to include them since, without them, it would be hard for viewers to fully grasp the charged racial environment of 19^th century New York. The NYHS asks, therefore, that offensive materials be viewed in the context of their time period and as part of the important effort to confront some of the ugly realities of this nation’s past.

New York Divided: Slavery and the Civil War runs through September 3, 2007 at the New-York Historical Society, Central Park West and 77^th Street in Manhattan. Admission is free on Fridays, 6-8 pm. For more information, call (212) 873-3400 or visit www.nyhistory.org .