Commemorating Two Momentous Black History Anniversaries in New York State
1627 - 400th anniversary of the arrival and enslavement of the first 22 African people in New Netherland
1827 - 200th anniversary of the legal end of slavery in New York
ENSLAVEMENT TO FREEDOM
Enslavement to Freedom is a multi-year interpretive initiative focused on developing exhibitions, public programs, and educational resources that delve into New York’s history with the institution of slavery. Throughout this effort, the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) will engage the public in understanding the impact of slavery on the state’s past and its journey towards freedom.
1627-1827-2027
In 2027, Friends of John Jay Homestead, the non-profit partner at John Jay Homestead State Historic Site, will mark the 400th anniversary of the beginning of enslavement in New York State and the 200th anniversary of the state’s legal end of slavery. This decades-long process advanced in 1799, when Governor John Jay signed the Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery. Coming on the heels of America’s 250th anniversary, these anniversaries offer a powerful opportunity to examine New York’s history of enslavement and abolition — and the Jay family’s own complex role within it. Our goal is simple: to learn honestly from this history and consider what it asks of us as citizens today.
JAY FAMILY LEGACY: SLAVERY & ANTISLAVERY
Across five generations, the Jay family's history traces New York's long journey from slavery to freedom. John Jay, a Founder, first Chief Justice and Governor, signed the 1799 Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery. He also enslaved men, women and children for more than 40 years, as late as 1817. He was a manumissionist rather than an abolitionist: he freed people on his own terms while slavery remained legal. His sons Peter Augustus Jay and William Jay and his grandson John Jay II became champions of abolition. Through Enslavement to Freedom, we honor the people John Jay enslaved and invite the public to explore this history honestly and consider what it asks of us today.
A YEAR OF COMMEMORATION
Running from fall 2026 through the close of the 2027 commemorative year, Friends of John Jay Homestead’s Enslavement to Freedom programming brings together lectures, music, theater, art, and community gatherings exploring New York’s journey from enslavement to abolition. Grounded in ongoing research at John Jay Homestead — including the identification of 21 individuals enslaved by John Jay over his lifetime — the series examines this history in its full complexity, including the Jay family’s own multigenerational relationship with slavery and antislavery. Presented as part of New York State’s Enslavement to Freedom initiative and in partnership with organizations across the region, our programs will tell stories not yet widely known, and connect this history to questions of citizenship and civic life today. All programs will be offered free of charge.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
January 23: Meditative Sound Concert with Andromeda Turre & Irwin Hall
February 16: Lecture with Dr. Myra Young Armstead
May 23: Lecture with Rita Daniels
June 20: Juneteenth at Caramoor
July 5: Bells of Jubilee
Fall 2027: Year End Artist's Salon
OUR COMMITTEE
E. Annette Nash Govan, Committee Chair & Trustee of Friends of John Jay Homestead
April Olsen, Trustee of Friends of John Jay Homestead
MaryAnn Carr
Mitch Horn
Lise Leist
Patsy Morton
Shirley Mosley
SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE
Help us bring this important history to life. All Enslavement to Freedom programs are offered free to the public, made possible through the generosity of our supporters. Your contribution will help us present meaningful programs, share stories too often overlooked, and engage our community in a deeper understanding of New York’s journey from enslavement to freedom.
To learn more about underwriting opportunities, please contact friends@johnjayhomestead.org, or make a donation online here.
Learn more about this New York State project by clicking here.