To commemorate Black History Month, the Mid-Hudson Antislavery History Project is proud to present Michael Lord, Associate Director of Content Development for Historic Hudson Valley, who will make a presentation on Thursday, February 2nd at the Wallace Center at Franklin D. Roosevelt Library in Hyde Park, New York. Titled “An American Paradox: Enslavement on the Hudson,” an overview of Mr. Lord’s talk follows. The presentation begins at 7:00pm in the auditorium of  the Wallace Center. The presentation is free and open to the public.

Did you know …

• That the first non-indigenous settler on Manhattan was a man of African descent?
• That a plantation economy flourished up and down the banks of the Hudson River?
• That the variety of African nationalities in colonial New York equaled or surpassed the number of European nationalities represented?
• That enslaved individuals in New York actively resisted using both covert and overt means?

The Igbo of eastern Nigeria have a saying: “Until lions have their own historians, tales of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” Although the history of enslavement in the Hudson River Valley is well documented and researched, its existence and significance to the development of New York’s commercial and cultural development continues to be obscured, ignored, or misunderstood by many. Michael A. Lord, Associate Director of Content Development at Historic Hudson Valley, examines the issues, events, and individual choices surrounding enslavement in the Hudson Valley from the perspective of the enslaved. Using the historic site of Philipsburg Manor as a focal point, Lord’s presentation traces the development of slavery throughout the Hudson River Valley, and why this most-American of stories continues to be relevant.

A Magna cum laude graduate of Amherst College with degrees in History and Black Studies, Michael A. Lord was introduced to living history as a graduate student at the College of William and Mary. Michael came to Historic Hudson Valley in 1998 as the Associate Director for Reinterpretation, working to create and implement Philipsburg Manor’s story of northern colonial enslavement. Currently the Associate Director of Content Development, Michael trains HHV staff at all five historic sites to tell the story of the Hudson Valley. He also writes, produces, and directs museum theater  presentations for Historic Hudson Valley and other institutions.

       Philipsburg Manor

        Sleepy Hollow, NY

Please join us for this important presentation !!!