Facing Closure, A Black Cultural Institution And Historical Site In Brooklyn Turns To Crowdfunding

Despite flying under the mainstream radar, Weeksville Heritage Center in Crown Heights has over the decades preserved an important piece of African American history. Back in 1838, Weeksville was one of the largest free black communities in the state and among the largest in the country. After the abolition of slavery in New York, African Americans bought plots in the then-remote area as a way to secure voting rights and generational wealth. By the late 19th century, it had become a full-fledged town, with roughly 500 residents, comprised of ministers, teachers, the state’s first female African-American physician, and the city's first African-American police officer. One of the first African-American newspapers, The Freedman's Torchlight, was published in Weeksville. [ more › ]

from Gothamist http://bit.ly/2VOxarq

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