James Ryder Van Brunt, Homestead of Cornelius Van Brunt, 1859, Watercolor and gouache on paper
Image: courtesy of the Center for Brooklyn History
Trace/s: Family History Research and the Legacy of Slavery in Brooklyn is part of Future 400
How did slavery shape the Brooklyn we know today? Trace/s explores this question through historical records, artwork, and the contributions of Black genealogy researchers, offering a deeper understanding of the borough’s past and its lasting impact.
The exhibition is centered around John A. Lott, descended from the Lott family, who were ancestrally Dutch, and were a major slaveholding family when Brooklyn was still under Dutch control. The other central figure of the exhibition is Samuel Anderson, who was enslaved by the Lott family until 1826, and though he went on to become a founding member of some of Brooklyn’s first Black churches, his spiritual upbring began in the Dutch Reform Church on Flatbush Avenue, where he attended services conducted entirely in the Dutch language.
While firsthand testimonies from enslaved people in Brooklyn are scarce, archives at the Center for Brooklyn History reveals crucial details about their lives and struggles. Through primary sources, historical documents, and personal narratives, Trace/s challenges visitors to confront slavery’s role in shaping Brooklyn’s communities.
The exhibition also highlights the vital work of Black family history researchers, who dedicate themselves to preserving ancestral stories, building community, and reshaping our collective understanding of history