“Generations of Slavery on the Dyckman Property in Inwood, 1661-1827” with Dr. Gretchen Sullivan Sorin and Mr. Richard Tomczak: The generations of enslaved people that worked for the Dyckman family experienced ever-changing legal codes that restricted their movement, behaviors, and well-being. From the Dutch “half-freedom” of Jan Dyckman’s New Amsterdam, to the “negotiated manumission” of New York State, the family and their slaves were at the center of unfolding chapters of American history. Their close proximity to New York City and the agricultural Hudson Valley estates would have made the Dyckman slaves cosmopolitan in the truest sense, with the ability to navigate the rural and urban landscapes of the region. In short, the lives of enslaved people of the Dyckman family shed light on the complex relationships forged in the environs of New York City and the transformation of slavery in the North.
Dr. Gretchen Sullivan Sorin is Director and Distinguished Service Professor at the Cooperstown Graduate Program. Dr. Sorin is the author of Driving While Black: African American Travel and the Road to Civil Rights recently released in February 2020. Dr. Sorin holds a B.A. degree from Rutgers University in American Studies, an M.A. in Museum Studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program and a Ph.D. from the University at Albany in American history. Dr. Sorin has more than thirty years of experience in the museum profession working for more than 250 museums as a museum exhibition curator and education, programming, and interpretive planning and strategic planning consultant.
Richard Tomczak is a PhD Candidate in History at Stony Brook University. His research examines the entangled relationships among law, labor, and empire in the colonial Americas.
We are so delighted to continue our Talking About Race Matters lecture series that was so successful in August of 2020. Join us on Wednesdays, February 3rd through March 10th at 6pm! This six-week series during Black History Month will discuss and tell the stories of New York’s Black history. Each week will be a different speaker touching on a unique New York Black experience followed by a Q&A.
About our Talking About Race Matters Lecture Series:
One of the most important topics throughout history and in recent months, is the topic of race. Given current events covered in the news, we at the Dyckman Farmhouse Museum feel that it is important to have and to facilitate conversations on race, even though they can be challenging. Because of this, we have put together a series of talks with experts, each looking at the topic of race from a different perspective. Our hope is that we can all come together, learn from one another, and to continue the conversation. We hope that you will join us!
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