Brooklyn, Slavery & the Civil War
Historical Hint:
Leading up to the Civil War, Brooklyn’s economic dependence upon its waterfront factories and warehouses involved the slave and sugar trade. In addition to sugar, Brooklyn warehouses stored cotton and tobacco grown by slaves. Many Brooklyn citizens were active in the anti-slavery movement.
Mission:
The Domino Sugar Refinery on Williamsburg’s waterfront and a ring from the collection of Brooklyn Heights’ Plymouth Church are connected to the crucial (but buried) Brooklyn history from the years leading up to the Civil War. How are the two related?
How the Mystery was Solved:
Benjamin Banneker Academy’s African-American Studies class closed this case after extensive research and exploration of Brooklyn's many historic neighborhoods. Of course, they documented their discoveries along the way!
After a tour of Brooklyn Heights’ Plymouth Church with church historian Lois Rosebrooks, Benjamin Bannekar students learned about Henry Ward Beecher, Plymouth Church's first pastor and a significant member of the anti-slavery movement. It is at Plymouth Church that students uncover an interesting clue: the ring is known as the Freedom Ring or Pinky's Ring.
Then, on a walking tour of Brooklyn’s Waterfront, historian John Manbeck discussed Brooklyn’s dependency on the southern slave economy. Many students were stunned to learn that, although New York was a Union state, the majority of Brooklyn was pro-slavery. Turns out that Brooklyn was an large contributor to the nation's production and trade of cotton, tobacco, and sugar. Students discerned that the Domino Sugar Factory (located on Brooklyn’s Waterfront) was a major contributor to our nation’s sugar industry and a large majority of its product came from southern farms that used slaves.
During a visit to Brooklyn's Weeksville Heritage Society, the students learned how this historic free black community served as a national network that channeled information, resources and people before, during, and after the Civil War. Historian Craig Wilder explained to the students that, because of efforts like those from Weeksville residents, free blacks such as Harriet Tubman and Fredrick Douglas were able to impact America's abolitionist movement.
After collecting more primary facts from the Brooklyn Public Library's Brooklyn Collection, Benjamin Bannekar students returned to Plymouth Church and discover one more interesting fact: it served as a stop for the famous Underground Railroad.
The students pooled all of their information and sources together to solve the connection between the two mystery objects. The Domino Sugar Refinery was a source of income for many southern slave farms. And the ring presented to them at Plymouth Church was The Freedom Ring. It belonged to an enslaved child named Pinky who, in 1865, had her freedom bought by Pastor Beecher and his Plymouth Church congregation. The ring served as a symbol for her new freedom. Case closed!