Can You Read Cursive? Transcribing Chattel Enslavement Archives

Join Black in Historic Preservation as we transcribe Chattel Enslavement Archives from a selected start archive each session.

Join Black in Historic Preservation as we transcribe chattel enslavement archives on the From the Page website.

The description of NYC's Records of Slavery project from NYC's Municipal Archives:

"The Department of Records and Information Services invites volunteers to transcribe recently digitized documents of enslaved people. Spanning from 1660 to 1838, the records contain birth records, manumission certificates, and court minutes detailing the lives of enslaved people in the localities that would become New York City. The majority of these records were created with the passing of the 1799 Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery [in New York State] and provide a rare, though still somewhat faint, spotlight on a community that was integral to the growth of the city."

Please note: Material in these volumes might contain language that some people might perceive as harmful.

What will you do?

Transcribe a minimum of one document. Document length depends: some are shorter than one page, some are longer.

Who is this for?

For descendants of enslaved Black people, preservationists, community advocates, cultural workers, historians, archivists, and anyone interested in reading primary sources about chattel enslavement in the US.

This event is a virtual event hosted by Black in Historic Preservation, only.

Community Agreement

In support of a community of care and respect, Black in Historic Preservation practices the following Community Agreement and expects members, supporters, presenters, and attendees of events to do the same.

Please see our community agreement here: https://www.blackinhistpres.com/community-agreement

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Thank you to our Members, Non-Profit Supporters, and Major Donor!

Major Donor:

• The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation

Non-Profit Supporters:

• The Black Grassroots Heritage Preservation Network
• Black Heritage Society of Washington State
• DOCOMOMO-US
• The New York Preservation Archive Society
• The Out(sider) Preservation Initiative at the Center for Cultural Landscapes at the University of Virginia's School of Architecture