SET II

Document D- Black Landowners in Manhattan’s “Land of the Blacks”Source: Howard Dodson et al., ed. (2000). The Black New Yorkers. NY: Wiley, 23.

Background: In the 1640s, a group of enslaved Africans petitioned the Dutch West India Company for their freedom. The company’s director-general, William Kieft, agreed to grant them “half freedom” (their children were not free and they owed an annual payment to the company), and gave them tracts of land in the unsettled area north of the city, thereby creating a “buffer zone” between European settlers and increasingly hostile Native Americans. Located about a mile from the city in what was primarily swampy, hilly wilderness, this so-called “Land of the Blacks” actually comprised several communities. Freed slaves received land grants ranging from two to eighteen acres; those who had served as soldiers in New Amsterdam’s defense were particularly favored. The land these freed slaves came to inhabit—over 130 acres or 100 square city blocks—formed the basis of New York’s first black community.

Landowner Farm Grant ReceivedCatalina Anthony July 13, 1643Domingo Anthony July 13, 1643Cleyn (Little) Manuel December 1643Manuel Gerrit de Reus December 1643Manuel Trumpeter December 12, 1643Marycke (widow of Lawrence) December 12, 1643Gracia DAngola December 15, 1644Simon Congo December 15, 1644Jan Francisco December 15, 1644Pieter San Tome December 15, 1644Manuel Groot (Big Manuel) December 21, 1644Cleyn (Little) Anthony December 30, 1644Paulo D’Angola December 30, 1644Anthony Portuguese September 5, 1645Anna D’Angola February 8, 1647Francisco D’Angola March 25, 1647Anthony Congo March 26, 1647Bastiaen Negro March 26, 1647Jan Negro March 26, 1647Manuel the Spaniard January 18, 1651Mathias Anthony December 1, 1655Domingo Angola December 2, 1658Claes Negro December 2, 1658Assento Angola December 2, 1658Francisco Cartagena December 2, 1658Anthony of the Bowery 1658Anthony the blind nergo 1658Manuel Sanders 1662

Document E- Redraft of the Castello Plan New Amsterdam in 1660Source: https://www.nyhistory.org/web/crossroads/gallery/all/castello_plan_redraft.html

Background In 1644, perhaps fearing that slaves would join the Native American attacks against the Dutch, Director Keift changed the state of some of the older slaves to a tribute-paying status known as "half-slavery " (sometimes also known as "half-freedom "). The half-free slaves received land so that they "could earn their livelihood by agriculture." Their settlement was on the outskirts of the colony and acted as a buffer against the Indian attacks. The area is now known as Greenwich Village/SoHo. Later, other slaves, either owned by the Company or by individuals, gained similar status. In return for their half freedom, half-slaves had to labor for the Company in time of need, and pay an annual tribute to the Company

Document F-“Nieu Amsterdam” Engraving An engraving from 17th Century New Amsterdam showing a group of enslaved Africans doing the work of the city.

Source: From I.N. Phelps Stokes, The Iconography of Manhattan Island,