Person Record Title

Unnamed African man [Livingston]

Identifier

NJS-PER-00339

Sex

Male

Biographical Description

An African man was sold to slave traders in Africa and brought to New York City in the fall of 1752, where he was enslaved to Philip Livingston. This man ran away from Philip Livingston on October 28, 1752, shortly after disembarking in New York City. The enslaver placed an advertising in the New-York Gazette offering 3 pounds as a reward for the capture and return of this African man. The name of the African man was not recorded in the advertisement. The advertisement noted that the man spoke no English or Dutch, but only the language of his homeland. He retained his African hairstyle, which was described by Philip Livingston as "hair or wool...curled in locks, in a very remarkable manner," and this would make him stand out among the other Black residents of the area. The enslaver supposed that the freedom seeker made his way toward the woods near Harlem, which was at that time a small village north of New York City on the Island of Manhattan.

This unnamed African man is featured in "New York at Its Core: Port City, 1609-1898," a permanent gallery exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York. His story is told in an interactive biographical display titled "Livingston's Runaway: Resisting Slavery."

Keywords

African descent person

Rutgers history

Place of Significance

Africa

New York City, NY

Enslaved by

Philip Livingston (1716-1778)

Record Contributor

Jesse Bayker