On the
first day of August 1855 more than five thousand African Americans gathered at
the Pagoda or Clifton Park, Staten Island to celebrate the West India
Emancipation Day or First of August celebrations with an extraordinary emancipation
Jubilee. August 1, 1834 the British Parliament
signed into law legislation abolishing slavery within the boundaries of her
vast Caribbean empire. Every year for
next twenty years, antislavery supporters gathered in communities around the
country to commemorate the life changing occasion.
The early
emancipation celebrations widely took place throughout the northern United States.
For twenty years the cities of New York, Williamsburg, Rochester, Auburn and
Buffalo were host to the important gatherings, but by 1855; it was Staten
Island’s turn to openly rejoice and celebrate with a festival of freedom.
The
Staten Island celebration was the brainchild of the prominent African American
Presbyterian abolitionist minister Alexander Crummell. Although living in
Liberia during this time, Crummell while on a visit to states began organizing
the event in early June. Without doubt, many visits to the island must have
been made in the coordination of such a spectacular event. Crummell and a friend, who today remains
nameless secured the beautiful park where only a few years before they heard
Louis Kossuth, the revered political leader of the Hungarian revolution speak
for the first time on American soil.
After securing
the venue, Crummell almost singlehandedly raised the money for the historic
ceremony and flooded both New York and New Jersey with handbills and other
advertisements to bring awareness to the event.
Now
let’s stop and take a moment to imagine the tremendous excitement that must
have traversed our tiny island in anticipation of such a grand affair. Early that Wednesday morning, with the sun
shining brightly, wave after wave of African American men, women and children began
flooding into the island. There were
drummers that could be heard loudly beating their drums as they stepped off the
ferries and marched into Stapleton. Trumpets
blared, heralding the long anticipated meeting of the community for such a
special occasion.
Military
and civic organizations led the long procession. As they marched through the streets and
passed by the McKeon Street (now Tompkins Ave) neighborhood and UAME Church in
Stapleton, the African American community fell into step on their way to the
Pagoda. James McCune Smith, the first
African American doctor in the United States would later write about the event
as one of largest celebratory gathering of “colored people” that ever took
place on the American Continent.
By noon
the flavors of the picnic brazenly tantalized the nostrils of all in attendance. Women were dressed smart outfits while the
men dressed in their finest. Children
laughed and played all day.
As the
evening approached it was time to settle down and listen to the wise words of
the illustrious keynote speaker.
Mr.
Stephen Meyers was chosen to deliver the keynote address to the expectant crowd.
Meyers was one of the early participants in the Vigilance Committee of Albany,
former editor of the Freeman’s Advocate, an African American abolitionist and well
known Station Master of the Underground Railroad in Albany. He, himself born into slavery in Rensselaer County,
New York was given his freedom by the efforts Daniel D. Tompkins and the
Gradual Emancipation Act in July 1827. A
man of conviction he assisted thousands of self-emancipators find freedom in
upper northern states and Canada.
Meyers began
is oratory in remembrance of the British abolitionists whose lifelong endeavors
freed a race of people from bondage. He told his audience they were not there
simply to wave flags, beat drums or play trumpets for mere self-indulgence; but
rather to celebrate one of the “greatest events recorded in the history of the
world --- the liberation of 800,000 fellow beings.”
Meyers
spoke for more than an hour discussing the merits of African Americans who
supported the United States in the War of 1812, noting that black men would
stand up once again and support the United States in any conflict, especially
one fought to would secure their own freedom.
He reminded his Staten Island audience that Frederick Douglass was equal
in ability to any man that currently sat in Congress and urged them to send
delegates to the upcoming National Negro Convention that would take place that
September. But most of all he
anticipated the day that all of his American brethren living in southern
bondage would be free.
When the
speeches were finished, the celebrants who had participated in a full day of
festivity and remembrance began to board the ferries back to the City and New
Jersey. They must have returned to their
homes with renewed vigor to fight for justice and freedom.
So as we
pause this year to remember and commemorate the 150th anniversary of
Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, we should also take the time to reflect
and proudly remember that Staten Island was on the front-line of abolition and
antislavery in the early years of the nineteenth century.
