New York City Council Votes to Acknowledge, Study, and Address Legacy and Impact of Slavery and Racial Injustices in New York City

New York City Council Votes to Acknowledge, Study, and Address Legacy and Impact of Slavery and Racial Injustices in New York City

Council also passed legislation to bolster notifications for fires, support for victims

City Hall, NY - Today, the New York City Council voted to pass legislation establishing municipal efforts to acknowledge and address the legacy and impact of slavery and racial injustices in New York City. The package of legislation would establish a Truth, Healing and Reconciliation process on slavery within New York City (which had one of the highest rates of slave ownership in the country in the 1700s), a reparations study, informational signs at the City's first slave market, and a taskforce to consider the creation of a "freedom trail" commemorating abolitionist movement and Underground Railroad sites.

The Council also passed legislation to strengthen requirements for notifying Council Members of fires in their districts, support residents displaced by a fire, and more.

"The legacy of slavery and systemic racism has impacted all facets of our society today, and it's important that our city recognizes and takes steps to redress these longstanding harms," said Speaker Adrienne Adams. "By creating new processes to fully examine the present-day impacts of injustices inflicted on Black New Yorkers and communities, we are advancing necessary efforts to consider potential remedies that can lead to healing and reconciliation. The Council's legislation builds on the work we have done to confront historic inequities perpetuated by systemic racism, and will be coordinated in conjunction with the New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies. With the advancement of these bills, along with the establishment of the NYC Commission on Racial Equity, its work, other changes approved by New Yorkers in the 2022 election and secured by city leaders, our city is continuing towards the equity and justice that our communities deserve. I thank Council Members Hudson, Williams, and Louis for their leadership on this legislation, and my Council colleagues for their support."

Addressing the Impact of Slavery and Injustices in New York City

For over 200 years, the City of New York legally sanctioned the wrongful enslavement of human beings of African and indigenous American descent. In the early 1700s, the City had one of the highest rates of slave ownership in the country, with between 15 and 20 percent of the population being held in slavery. Before its reputation as a global financial center, Wall Street once dealt in human capital and hosted a decades long slave market where African men, women, and children were rented, bought, and sold to people across the territories. After slavery was banned statewide in 1827, the City continued to generate significant income from the illegal international trade of enslaved persons, from business conducted with visiting slave owners, and from the trade of goods produced through slave labor.

This legislation comes after New Yorkers approved the New York City Racial Justice Commission's (RJC) proposed ballot measures to address racial inequity and the release of the RJC's "Roadmap for Racial Justice," which recommended that the City consider implementing a truth and reconciliation process to publicly acknowledge and repair past and present harms caused by racial injustice and explore possible reparative frameworks for severe racial injustices.

Introduction 242-A, sponsored by Council Member Crystal Hudson, would require the Commission on Racial Equity (CORE) to establish a Truth, Healing, and Reconciliation process in connection with the City's historic involvement in slavery and its present-day legacies. The objectives would be to establish facts about slavery in New York City and its ongoing legacies, protect and acknowledge affected persons and communities, and recommend changes for government and institutions to prevent the perpetuation and recurrence of injustices from the legacy of slavery. CORE would be required to conduct public engagement activities and publish its findings and recommendations. Its work would be coordinated with the New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies.

"The passage of these bills represents a significant step for New York City. The harm slavery caused Black Americans continues to be felt today. Our nation's inability to properly redress such a historic wrong allows this deep injustice to continue to manifest itself in distinct, tangible ways--be it the prison-industrial complex, predatory lending, redlining, or inequality in our school systems," said Council Member Crystal Hudson. "When I first ran for office in 2021, I released A Black Agenda for New York City, outlining six bold recommendations that would meet the urgency of the racial reckoning facing our city. One of those recommendations was the creation of a citywide Truth, Healing, and Reconciliation process centered on acknowledging the city's racist practices and historic treatment of Black New Yorkers. Int. 242 will move New York City forward in a way that places the pursuit of truth and justice at our city's core. And it is my hope that as the nation's largest city--with the biggest municipal budget--our truth, healing, and reconciliation process will work; it will identify racist, anti-Black policies at the foundation of our city's institutions, and it will yield material solutions to address these foundational cracks."

Introduction 279-A, sponsored by Council Member Farah Louis, would require CORE to work with subject-matter experts to study the historical and present-day role of New York City government in perpetrating or perpetuating slavery and related racial injustices, and to consider reparative measures for such injustices. The reparations study would document the harms of slavery and its legacies in the City, identify associated rights violations, and recommend potential legal, policy, and other measures to help remedy or redress associated harms. The study would also propose eligibility criteria for receiving reparations. CORE would coordinate with the New York State Community Commission on reparations, remedies, and the City's process for Truth, Healing, and Reconciliation required by Int. 242-A.

"I am proud of the passage of my bill today, Int 279, which mandates a comprehensive study on reparations related to slavery and its enduring legacies here in New York City. This study, to be conducted by CORE in consultation with the Office of Racial Equity, will address persistent disparities and recommend reparative measures for affected individuals and communities," said Council Member Farah Louis. "Throughout my tenure in the Council, we have heard countless testimonies and conducted numerous hearings revealing the ongoing impacts of historical injustices. Black women, in particular, continue to be disadvantaged in both public and private sectors, facing systemic inequities that hinder their progress and well-being. Addressing these compounded injustices is essential to forming a more just municipality and society."

Louis continued, "By documenting and quantifying the impacts of enslavement and its legacies, while recommending concrete measures for redress, we take a crucial step towards justice and equity. I am passionately committed to this cause and the urgency of this study in addressing the historical and ongoing impacts of manumission that continue to affect our New Yorkers and am looking forward to driving this work forward as this Council continues to create a more equitable future for all."

Introduction 471-A, sponsored by Council Member Nantasha Williams, would establish a task force to consider the creation of a citywide New York City freedom trail and a "Lower Manhattan freedom trail."

"The task force created by Int 471-A will identify and commemorate locations significant to the history of African American liberation and the fight for civil rights in our city," said Council Member Dr. Nantasha Williams. "By creating a Freedom Trail, we honor the courage and resilience of those who came before us and educate future generations about the pivotal role New York City played in the struggle for freedom and justice. This initiative fills me with pride because it will ensure that our city's significant locations and stories of African American liberation and the fight for civil rights are recognized and celebrated. This effort is a powerful way to keep the spirit of Juneteenth alive and to educate our community about the pivotal role New York City has played in this ongoing struggle."

Introduction 833-A, sponsored by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, would require the New York City Department of Transportation to facilitate the installation and maintenance of an informational sign near the intersection of Wall and Pearl Streets in Manhattan to mark the site of New York's first slave market.

"As so many places across the country are choosing to ignore and suppress our history rather than teach it, it's vital that New York City grapple with and learn from the parts of our past we too often try not to think about," said Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. "The wealth of Wall Street banks was built on the backs of the human beings sold on that very spot, and we have a moral obligation to accurately acknowledge not only this slave market's tragic history, the pain of enslaved people in our city, and the role slavery had in New York's economy, one which has echoed painfully across generations. I thank my colleagues on the Council for ensuring that we do this the right way, helping inform New Yorkers as we still struggle with the impact of damage done across centuries."

Bolstering Support for Fire Emergency Victims
Introduction 89, sponsored by Council Member Pierina Sanchez, would require an agency designated by the Mayor to provide notice to Council Members of serious fires located within their districts. These notifications would need to be sent within three hours of the Fire Department's deployment to the scene of the fire and contain specific information relating to the incident.

"Displacement following a fire or structural problem in your home is one of the most disruptive experiences a family can have," said Council Member Pierina Sanchez. "Even with NYC's multi-agency responses, there still are often gaps in caring for our most vulnerable New Yorkers affected by these destabilizing events. For instance, under the current system, there is not a streamlined process for agencies to notify Council Members when there is a significant, or "all-hands" fire, in their district. This bill takes a basic but critical first step toward a modern alert system: providing Council Members and other public officials with notification when these fires occur in their district, within three hours of FDNY's response. For constituents like mine in the Bronx, this legislation will offer reassurance that when fires strike, their elected representatives will be ready to support them in real time."

Introduction 6-A, sponsored by Council Member Alexa Avilés, would require the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), in consultation with the Fire Department and Department of Buildings, to develop procedures to ensure that occupants of multiple dwellings receive relevant information in connection with the issuance of residential vacate orders following fires. This bill would require HPD to designate a person on site to distribute relevant materials to occupants of the building, inform occupants of their rights and their landlord's responsibilities, and provide information in the designated citywide languages on where occupants can find additional resources.

"This legislation is especially important to me because it comes directly from the lived experience of residents in my district who have been impacted by fires, many of whom are non-English speaking," said Council Member Alexa Avilés. "Unfortunately, many are unaware of their rights to return, leaving some resigned to complete displacement and loss of their possessions. Intro. 006 will close the information gap through a very simple education process, which would be available in the top ten most commonly spoken languages in our city, and will allow families more agency in the aftermath of a devastating fire. I'm grateful the Speaker and Chair Sanchez for recognizing just how critical this measure is."

Improving Paved Medians

Introduction 746-A, sponsored by Council Member Oswald Feliz, would require the Department of Transportation (DOT), in collaboration with the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), to improve paved medians by planting vegetation or adding stormwater management infrastructure. The bill would also require DOT to report on its efforts to make such improvements.

"The introduction of Operation Green Streets marks a crucial step towards environmental justice in New York City," said Council Member Oswald Feliz. "By encouraging the greenification of concrete medians in historically disadvantaged communities, we're not only beautifying our neighborhoods but also enhancing air quality and climate resilience. This legislation embodies our steadfast commitment to creating greener, healthier spaces for all New Yorkers, regardless of their economic status. I look forward to partnering with Speaker Adams and my colleagues in the Council as we continue to think of innovative responses to the climate crisis."

Recognizing the Arrival of the First Jewish Community in New Amsterdam
Resolution 438, sponsored by Council Member Gale Brewer, would recognize Landing Day in the second week of September annually to commemorate the arrival of the first Jewish community in New Amsterdam in 1654 and to celebrate the continuing importance of the Jewish community in the City of New York.

"The week of September 7, 1654, a few days before Rosh Hashanah, the group of 23 men, women and children landed near the southern tip of the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam, now the Staten Island Ferry terminal," said Council Member Gale A. Brewer." Nearly 370 years later, New York City is home to 1.6 million Jews - more than in any other city worldwide - and one of the greatest urban centers of Jewish life in history. The goal of the resolution is to commemorate their arrival and celebrate a community rich with history and cultural heritage."

Land Use

The Landmark Preservation Commission's designation of the Heckscher Building (now the Crown Building) as an historic landmark in Council Member Powers' district. The Heckscher Building was completed in the early 1920s and designed by the prominent New York architecture firm Warren and Wetmore. The building is one of Fifth Avenue's best-known and most visible early skyscrapers. It is one of the earliest surviving skyscrapers that was built to conform with the 1916 Zoning Resolution, which required higher stories of tall buildings to taper to increase light and air to the street below. Currently the building operates as an office-to-residential conversion.1

The Landmark Preservation Commission's interior designation of the Temple Court Building (now known as the Beekman Hotel) Atrium as an historic landmark in Council Member Marte's district. The building was completed in May 1883 and designed by architects Silliman and Farnsworth. The Atrium is a uniquely stunning full-height, skylit atrium in the city's earliest remaining tall "fireproof" office building. Restored in the 2016 conversion of the Temple Court Building to the Beekman Hotel, the atrium boasts eight levels of historic galleries and intricately designed ironwork, arched doors, and windows.

The Landmark Preservation Commission's designation of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Park as an historic landmark in Council Member Carr's district. Frederick Douglass Memorial Park is our city's only existing non-sectarian cemetery built by and for African Americans. Opened in a time of widespread racial discrimination, this cemetery provided dignified burials for African Americans as an alternative to the substandard burials permitted at Colonial-era, white-constructed cemeteries.

Finance

Introduction 898, sponsored by Council Members Sandy Nurse and Shaun Abreu, which would create the Cypress Hills Fulton Business Improvement District.

Introduction 906, sponsored by Council Member Julie Won, which would expand the existing Queens Plaza/Court Square Business Improvement District and rename it the Long Island City Business Improvement District.

A preconsidered resolution, sponsored by Council Member Justin Brannan, establishing a new 40-year Article XI tax exemption for four buildings in Council Member De La Rosa's district.

A Transparency Resolution approving the new designation and changes in the designation of certain groups to receive funding in the FY'25, FY'24, and FY'23 Expense Budget.

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