Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams released the following statement after it was announced that 227 Duffield Street in Brooklyn, the home of noted abolitionists Harriet and Thomas Truesdell, would be preserved and designated as a landmark, 227 Abolitionist Place, in recognition of its place in the history of the Abolitionist movement.
"I applaud the designation of 227 Duffield as a landmark, for which my office has advocated and which is crucial to commemorating a piece of the history of the Black experience in New York City, as well as understanding that history and its relevance in modern context. Just as it was vital several years ago to acknowledge and designate the shameful history of our city's slave market at Wall Street, we must preserve and uplift our role in the Abolitionist movement.
"It is a history woefully underrepresented throughout the five boroughs, but one that can be reclaimed and remembered. 227 Abolitionist Place, home of the Truesdells, is a major victory, but we must expand on this progress and preserve other sites in the Abolitionist movement, such as the home of renowned abolitionist Dennis Harris at 857 Riverside Drive - which is facing imminent demolition. This is a moment to establish and educate New Yorkers on a fuller understanding of the city's historical role in slavery and modern mandate around systemic oppression and racial injustices."
First Deputy Public Advocate Nick E. Smith testified during a July 2020 hearing of the Landmarks Preservation Commission to argue for the designation. His full testimony is below and can be downloaded here.
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