NYS Parks, Recreation, Historic Preservation Katonah, NY – John Jay Homestead State Historic Site will present a lecture entitled, Slavery and the Jay Family: A Seven-Generation Story on Wednesday, February 24th at 7:00 PM.

Founding Father John Jay was descended from three generations of enslavers. Jay himself is something of an enigma: he argued for abolition in the new state of New York as early as 1777 but did not abolish slavery in his own household for another four decades. His descendants include three generations who were abolitionists and civil rights activists.

This illustrated program, presented via Zoom, examines the arc of slavery through seven generations of the Jay family.  It is a story that goes back to the introduction of slaves into the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam and ends just months before the 13th Amendment abolished slavery. 

The program is free, but registration is required. A Zoom link will be sent to registrants prior to the event.  Register at www.johnjayhomestead.org/events.

Additional digital programs in honor of Black History Month can be found on the Homestead’s website, www.johnjayhomestead.org.

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 individual parks, historic sites, recreational trails and boat launches, which were visited by a record 77 million people in 2019. A recent university study found that spending by State Parks and its visitors supports $5 billion in output and sales, 54,000 private-sector jobs and more than $2.8 billion in additional state GDP. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit parks.ny.gov, connect on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter. The free New York State Parks Explorer mobile app is available for iOS and Android devices. To download, visit: Google Play Store, NY State Parks Explorer App or Apple Store, NY State Parks Explorer App.

 

 

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Contact:

Bethany White, John Jay Homestead State Historic Site, Bethany.white@parks.ny.gov