Black Lives History Timeline: 1712 - New York Slave Rebellion

1712: New York Slave Rebellion

In the early 1700s, New York had one of the biggest enslaved populations in the colonies. As much as 20% of the population was Black enslaved people. These were the people who worked to build many of the still-existing landmarks of New York City today. The enslaved people, used to the former Danish government, felt especially aggrieved by the new restrictions the now British government had imposed. Enslaved people were required to carry a pass to go anywhere. They were also discouraged from marrying, and were not allowed to gather in large groups, even in churches. On the night of April sixth, twenty Black men gathered and set fire to a house near Broadway. White men tried to stop the attack, and a fight ensued, resulting in several deaths. In the end, seventy Black people were captured, almost thirty of whom were put on trial. And about twenty-five of them were executed by the New York government. Afterwards, restrictions on enslaved Black people were tightened, including a law that required owners who wanted to free their slaves to pay a fine for that person's freedom.

Sources:

• Wikipedia: New York Slave Revolt of 1712
• Britannica: New York Slave Rebellion of 1712
• Smithsonian Magazine: The New York Slave Revolt of 1712 Was a Bloody Prelude to Decades of Hardship
• PBS: New York: The Revolt of 1712
• The New York Slave Revolt of 1712 killing nine white slave owners had this surprise element
• Pregnant Slave in 1712 New York City Slave Revolt
• Little Known Black History Fact: New York Slave Revolt of 1712
• 1712 New York Slave Riot
• New York Slave Revolt 1712
• New York Slave Revolt of 1712
• The Slave Revolt of 1712 in New York — An Anniversary
• Revolt by Enslaved Africans in New York
• New York City Slave Uprising
• Video: New York Slave Revolt of 1712

I think what upsets me most in this instance (and there are so many things) is that it was the British who caused this rebellion by treating enslaved people as less even than their Dutch counterparts had, and then, when it led to anger on the Black people's parts, they made sure they would stay enslaved longer, because the 200 sterling pound fee per head was more than almost all enslaved people were worth, and thereby ensured the slave owners wouldn't free them.