NYC: Hiding History
New York City has a long standing history of slavery before its status as a Northern state. For example, in Foley Square, 17 African Americans were hung and 13 were burned at the stake. Now, in the modern city, there exists a small plaque that recgonizes the occurrence of this event. This is one of the many examples in which the city attempts to hide its role and the recency of the enslavement of African Americans as well as their segregation. Rooted in discomfort and denial, many major cities such as New York City are responsible for the inadvertent hiding of the history of marginalized communities. These narrative prioritize placing dominant cultures in a place of correctness rather than acknowledging the journey of the marginalized group. In other words, accomplishments will always be highlighted and mistakes will always be hidden. Foley Square is one example of many wherein the architecture of New York City brings this concept afloat.
Furthermore, it is important to recognize that while New York City was a state of the North, it still participated in slavery and segregation. In fact, the North's goal was the preservation of the Union rather than emancipation during the Civil War. Furthermore, the Jim Crow Laws existed throughout the 1890s, and were only abolished as recently as 1964 with the establishment of the Civil Rights Act.
Throughout the Abolitionist Movement, thorughout New York City and the Northern states of the United States, several social activists and abolitionists were important voices in ensuring the success of the Underground Railroad. In Manhattan, a statue is erected of Harriet Tubman in the "Harriet Tubman Triangle" that serves to honor the life of Harriet Tubman. This statue is also known as "Swing Low". Upon further analysis, it can be noticed that the skirt of Harriet Tubman has the faces of many slaves and other individuals that Harriet Tubman was known to aid as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. This work symbolizes her efforts to pull freedom seekers into liberation and away from enslavement. Essentially, it provides a unique symbolic perspective into the way in which leaders of the movement had a role in the freedom of many African American slaves. However, this observation is lost on many and is not assessed enough in educational settings. For example, public school systems are rarely taught the importance of the symbolism of the architecture of statues such as Swing Low. Thus, by encouraging younger generations to analyze their surroundings in New York City, it is possible to create a more informed and knowledgeable future where the past and present and both equally considered for the future.
An Analysis:
Despite its history and background, New York City is a culprit of concealing and downplaying its past involvement in injustice. This is seen through the aforementioned architecture. However, it can also be considered that New York University and Tandon School of Engineering also engage in the same concealment. For instance, while New York University boasts a liberal education and is founded on principles of freedom of thought, equity, and justice. However, New York University is also a corporation that holds great power nationally and internationally through funding and investments with larger corporations. Similarly, NYU Tandon School of Engineering also is responsible for the same pattern of concealment. This is seen with the presence of the Wunsch Building. While Polytechnic University bought and renamed the Church, both Polytechnic University and Tandon are responsible for the partial erasure of the history of the Wunsch Building. Although there has been acknowledgement about the history of Wunsch and its roots, there is rarely enough detail regarding its role. Essentially, there is a major gap that needs to be filled in regards to how Tandon presents the Wunsch building to students, both present and prospective. Overall, there is a blatant glamourization of the nature of NYU and NYC as beacons of opportunity and hope despite a darker past that is often swept under the rug. By acknowledging these roots and taking strides to put the perspectives of marginalized communities back into the foreground, it is possible to truly admit NYU and NYC as these symbols of opportunity for everyone.