Black Residents in New York's First 250 Years
By Laurie Lewis
Black people have lived in New York City from its inception. Even before then. Researchers have discovered that the first non-native long-term resident was Juan Rodriguez, whose mother was African. Rodriquez arrived on a Dutch ship from Santo Domingo in 1613. His crewmates soon returned to the Netherlands, but Rodriguez chose to remain here.
The Dutch returned more than a decade later to establish the colony that would become New York, and soon they brought in the next Black residents: slaves from Africa and the Caribbean. When the English took over the colony, they continued to import slaves. By 1700, about 15 percent of the city’s population was Black, mostly slaves. In 1711, a slave market rose on Wall Street at the East River; it operated for more than 50 years.
Black people have lived in New York City from its inception. Even before then. Researchers have discovered that the first non-native long-term resident was Juan Rodriguez, whose mother was African. Rodriquez arrived on a Dutch ship from Santo Domingo in 1613. His crewmates soon returned to the Netherlands, but Rodriguez chose to remain here.
The Dutch returned more than a decade later to establish the colony that would become New York, and soon they brought in the next Black residents: slaves from Africa and the Caribbean. When the English took over the colony, they continued to import slaves. By 1700, about 15 percent of the city’s population was Black, mostly slaves. In 1711, a slave market rose on Wall Street at the East River; it operated for more than 50 years.
Sample Tours
NYC's Pioneering Achievements
From its earliest days, New York has been home to many creative, inventive people. They introduced an amazing array of innovations that were the first of their kind in the nation, and even the world. Discover many of these firsts in Laurie Lewis's Twitter feed, @LLewisNYCfirsts. Presented like a trivia game, each first appears in a tweet on two consecutive days. The first tweet poses a question, such as "Tomorrow is the anniversary of.... Do you know what it is?" The next day, a tweet answers the question. Follow @LLewisNYCfirsts to learn about New York's pioneering achievements.
About "Take a Walk New York" Tours
We are a group of New York City licensed tour guides offering a New York experience that is beyond the standard fare. Let us take you on a walk through the greatest city in the world and discover why New York is a place like no other.
