seneca village – lesson one

Past

Participants will be able to identify Seneca Village on a map and make connections between Seneca Village and what is now Central Park.

Intended for all ages

Materials
  • Whiteboard and Markers
  • Paper and Pen or Pencil
  • Internet Access
  • Primary sources related to Seneca Village like maps, census records, or photographs
Lesson

What do we know about Seneca Village?

Using the following guiding questions, write out what you (or your group) already knows about Seneca Village. 

  • What do we already know about Seneca Village?
  • What was life like in Seneca Village?
  • What happened to the village and its residents?
  • What can we learn from the history of Seneca Village?
  • Why was Seneca Village torn down?
  • What were the contributions of Seneca Village residents to the city and the impact their removal had on the city’s development?

Review primary sources.

  1. Utilize the primary sources shared below or in our further reading section to start answering the guiding questions. Take notes on interesting points that connect back to major turning points in New York State or American history.
  2. Once you have reviewed some of the primary sources, pause in your research and ponder the following questions in addition to the initial guiding questions.
    1. What are the demographics of Seneca Village and the social and economic conditions of its residents? Is that similar or different from what you already knew?
    2. Was Seneca Village the only enclave of free Black people in NYC?

Map it.

Utilizing the map from the National Park Service, go on to Google Maps and zoom into Central Park. Can you find Seneca Village on the modern map? As you search, reflect on the significance of your ability to find this location easily right now. Keep your map on hand, because we will be using this map to continue our Seneca Village journey.

further wonderings

If interested in diving deeper into the origins of Seneca Village, consider exploring the following questions in addition to the ones above:

  • What were the professions of men living in Seneca Village?
  • What is the current value of the $250 purchase? Why is this significant?
  • What is the significance of the displacement of Black people in the Seneca Village community? Using the data visualizations, what can we observe from the data?
  • What is the significance of the name “Seneca Village”?
resources

Gotham by Edwin G Burrows and Mike Wallace

Public Lands Curriculum

Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution by Elie Mystal

Let’s Talk About the Taking of Black Land | The Nation

NYC Archaeological Collection

Central Park – Seneca Village

Next Lesson: seneca village present  >>

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About the project

Mapping Communities: Black Enclaves in New York City from 1825 to 1950 is an interactive exploration of these two historic Black communities’ significant contributions to developing New York City’s cultural richness using narrative, timeline, videos, and curriculum. This project was made with love by Museum Hue, Allen Hillery and the DuBois Challenge, Syeda Tabassum, and Liam Elkins. 

About Museum Hue

Museum Hue is the leading organization dedicated to advancing Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color in the cultural field. We have over 400 institutional members, representing cultural and academic institutions across the United States.

contributions by

Allen Hillery

Syeda Tabassum

Anthony Starks

Liam Elkins

Special thanks to

Rev. Audrey Williamson of AME Zion Church

Erica Buddington

Ola Baldych, Director of Design and Exhibits of Poster House

The funding for this project was  made possible by Humanities NY and the Ford Foundation.

Web design & development by proof
Print publication & Illustration by Yeji Kim

#mappingcommunities

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