Black New york

I have been working my butt off this week trying to finish up my project for my black studies class. I had spend a total of 20 hours doing the whole project. One of the parts of the projects was constructing a tour of lower manhattan with sites that had African American Culture. I persoanlly went down with ken who came with me as a favor and did the tour. it was actually fun and I felt like I did learn alot
want to take the tour this is how you get there
African Grove

Location: Corner of Mercer and Bleeker

Direction: Take the 6 train to Bleeker and Lafayette. Once on bleeker head west 2 blocks over to Mercer.

Significance: The African Grove was a theater where black actors and producers put on shows. Henry Brown was the artistic director who directed Shakespearean plays including Othello and Hamlet.

David Ruggles Home

Location: 36 Lispenard Street between Church Street and Broadway

Directions: Walk straight down mercer street about 9 blocks till you hit canal street. On canal you will turn right and then hit Church Street. Go south one block to Lispenard Street. Then make a left and look for building number 36.

Significance: David Ruggles was an abolitionist during 1820-1849. He was involved with the Underground Railroad and helped enslaved African to Canada. He also owned a bookstore on 67 Lispenard Street. Where black men and women would be allowed to read, He also helped Fredrick Douglass.

Freedom’s Journal

Location: 152 Church Street on the corner of Leonard Street

Directions: From Lispenard Street walk over to Church Street and head south 4 blocks to Leonard Street.

Significance: This was the first black owned newspaper published in the entire United States. It was founded by John Russwurm and Rev. Samuel Cornish in the year 1829. Freedom’s Journal was only open for 2 years but lead to other black publication.

Mother AME Zion church
Location: 156 Church Street between Leonard Street and Worth Street

Direction: From the Freedom’s Journal walk down the street to Worth Street.

Significance: This was the first African American church in New York City. The church was founded in 1796 and later moved up to 137 Street in Harlem.

Abyssinian Baptist Church

Location: On Worth Street between Church Street and West Broadway

Direction: From Mother AME Zion church walk down to worth street and make a right.

Significance: This is the original location of Abyssinian Baptist Church. It was founded in 1808 by Black members of the first Baptist church who were accompanied by a group of Ethiopian merchants. It was created because they were tired of racially segregated seating in church. Its name was inspired by the ancient name of from which the merchant came from Abyssinia.


African burial ground

Location: 290 Broadway on Duane Street

Directions: From the Abyssinian Baptist Church on Worth Street walk east 2 blocks to Broadway. Then you walk south 3 blocks to Duane Street.

Significance: This is where approximately 15-20 thousand of African men, women, and children were buried. It runs about 5 city blocks. It was used from 1712 to 1794. General Service administration broke ground to build a 34 story building. Construction was halted and 408 intact bodies were taken to Howard University in Washington to be examined. They continued to build but protestors were able to halt construction to an adjacent project and later decided to make this an historical landmark.

Dr James McCune Smith

Location: 55 West Broadway between Murray Street and Park Place.

Direction: From the burial ground walk west to West Broadway which is two blocks away. Then walk south 4 blocks. It is between Murray Street and Park Place.

Significance: Dr James McCune Smith was the first Black American to get a medical degree. He was considered a tender doctor and was also an abolitionist, writer, and teacher. He opened a pharmacy in 1837 in the same location he practiced medicine. He was joined by Fredrick Douglass, John Brown, and Garret smith to fight for the rights of Black Americans.

African Freedom School

Location: 245 William Street between Ann Street and Fulton Street

Directions: From Dr James McCune Smith site head over to West Broadway. Go south on West Broadway 2 block and you will hit Vesey Street. On Vesey Street turn left going east 5 blocks till you hit William Street. Turn right on William Street.

Significance: The African Freedom School was founded in 1787 in order to educate free black children. The school taught reading, writing, and arithmetic for boys and girls in one room. Some of the founding members were John Jay and Alexander Hamilton. The original school was destroyed by a fire in 1814 but the second school was built in 1815
wish me luck
Jonathan Vargas