Black Gotham: A Family History of African-Americans in Nineteenth Century New York City

by Carla L. Peterson

Part detective tale, part social and cultural narrative, Black Gotham is Carla Peterson's riveting account of her quest to reconstruct the lives of her nineteenth-century ancestors. As she shares their stories and those of their friends, neighbors, and business associates, she illuminates the greater history of African-American elites in New York City.

Black Gotham challenges many of the accepted "truths" about African-American history, including the assumption that the phrase "nineteenth-century black Americans" means enslaved people, that "New York state before the Civil War" refers to a place of freedom, and that a black elite did not exist until the twentieth century. Beginning her story in the 1820s, Peterson focuses on the pupils of the Mulberry Street School, the graduates of which went on to become eminent African-American leaders. She traces their political activities as well as their many achievements in trade, business, and the professions against the backdrop of the expansion of scientific racism, the trauma of the Civil War draft riots, and the rise of Jim Crow.

Told in a vivid, fast-paced style, Black Gotham is an important account of the rarely acknowledged achievements of nineteenth-century African Americans and brings to the forefront a vital yet forgotten part of American history and culture.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, New York, Race, American History, African American, 19th Century

446 pages, Hardcover

First published February 22, 2011

Reviews

[Stephanie]

Apparently this book was a major inspiration to Julian Fellowes in writing the HBO show The Gilded Age (source).

[Betsy Robinson]

I picked this book up after hearing about it in the podcast that accompanies the Max TV series The Golden Age. All the actors were given the book on a reading list and there is a lot of interesting history. However, this is essentially notes from historian Carla L. Peterson’s search of her own family tree, so there are a lot of names and details that I’ll never remember.

For me, this is a book to read sporadically while I’m reading other books to essentially cherry-pick interesting historical details. Here’s one from early on in the book. Through it one can see that Wokeism is nothing new. It dates at least back to 1827 and probably way before:

NYS abolished slavery July 4, 1827, Emancipation Day. “To commemorate the event, William Hamilton [a member of the “Black elite,” a successful group of Black people who lived on what is now the Lower East Side of Manhattan] delivered an oration . . . [at a parade] . . . “His voice dripping with sarcasm, he attacked all hypocrisy of the founding fathers, and Thomas Jefferson in particular, whom the nation had paused to commemorate that very day:

‘I know that I ought to speak with caution; but an ambidexter philosopher, who can reason contrarywise, first tells you “that all men are created equal, and that they are endowed with the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” next proves that one class of men are not equal to another, which by the bye, does not agree with axioms in geometry, that deny that things can be equal, and at the same time unequal to one another.’

On the spot Hamilton resolved the question that had stumped Peter Williams [another member of the Black elite] some twenty years earlier: How can blacks become Americans? His ready answer was education. “White men,” he angrily intoned, “say you are not capable of the study of what may be called abstruse literature, and that you are deficient in moral character.” But, he asserted, “I feel, I know, that these assertions are as false as hell.”

I’m not going to rate this book. Nor am I going to read it straight through as I would most books. I’m going to keep it on the side and dip in whenever I feel the yen.

[Joshunda Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's lots of great historical context about the black elite in New York/Brooklyn in this book that is fascinating. It's not a strong narrative, but it is an important one if you're interested in the social lives and trades of blacks in New York City circa Reconstruction.

[Kathleen Hulser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating history in an unusually personal form, taking genealogy to a new level. Peterson explores the links of black families in antebellum New York offering a rich portrait of the connections between families that created the network of institutions that defined the first generation of free African American community. Maritcha Lyons, Patrick Reason, James McCune Smith, Thomas and George Downing -- abolitionists, businessmen, men of letters, philanthropists, charity workers, graduates of the African free school, political activists -- the pages are filled with intimate details about people who created the templates for black political aspirations to equality and urban status. Strong research and direct prose make this a gift to readers rather than a marker for academic tenure.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal research to produce this tomb of such detail. My first hint at this book came from a PBS program Secrets of the Dead, a woman buried in an iron coffin. It has taken me months to get through it because I kept highlighting, rereading and going off on my own searches. A recent article on WAPO about the burial ground of many unnamed, unmarked sites of African Americans possible being disturbed by some traffic road. This refreshed my reading pursuit.

I especially like what Peterson has pointed out about culture and society in NYC of Black Americans long before the Harlem renaissance period. This is such an important fact few acknowledge. I've been on a quest to search for two slaves, Mathilda and Adaline of 1850's. Their lives and survival matter and the trail is slim.

[Judith Squires · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got interested in this when watching "The Gilded Age" because that series features a young woman who is from a family of the black elite of New York City. Carla Peterson's family was part of that group and since I love history I eagerly read her account of how a small group of African-Americans acquired a foothold in New York City despite so many obstacle in their way. They established businesses, churches, charitable organizations, as well as schools. The Draft Riots of 1863 was a terrifying event for any black or mixed race person in the city, and spurred and exodus from Manhattan to Brooklyn. A very good read.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantastic historical resource, albeit a bit disjointed with its emphasis on historical family sleuthing that, by necessity, must skip around based on the discordant clues offered by historical archives & happy accidents.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Narrower focus than I realized, but good information.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black Gotham has many virtues. Chief among them is Peterson’s ability to recreate 19th century New York City for readers. While Peterson makes clear that her focus is on black elites, she still details the life of lower class black New Yorkers making Black Gotham useful reading for anyone interested in Black Americans in ante- and postbellum New York. Moreover it becomes apparent that many upperclass Black Americans often found their positions far more tenuous than their white counterparts. Black Gotham distinguishes itself from other history writing by taking readers into the archive. In introductions and asides, Peterson reveals the tedious work of the historian. Like other historical writing, Black Gotham was pieced together from a variety of primary sources. Peterson; however, makes clear that much of her research was a combination of luck, conjecture and, most importantly, determination.

[Darina Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. It was extremely detailed when possible on Carla Peterson's family history, displayed abilities of African Americans in New York to become educated and establish family businesses. A few questions remain, where the holes of research cannot uncover, but a good read to find out how some African Americans were able to secure a future during a racially charged atmosphere before the Civil War.

[Emilie Burack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic, deep look into a much overlooked chapter in NYC history. A must read for anyone wanting to discover more about African American history and the cultural upheavals of those struggling to make a life for themselves in mid 1800's NYC. Carla Peterson's vast research & detailed storytelling takes you back in time and makes you wish you could meet the intellectuals of the African American middle class who cared more about their children's futures than their own.

[Deborah]

The overall information content is great. Sheds light on a part of history that few know anything about. As a genealogist/family historian, I wish there was more specifics on her family.

[Beth Sweeney-sakoutis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for history lovers of New York City! I truly enjoyed this book and the pictures in the book. I learn so much about my home town and the rise of the well to do black New Yorkers.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an intriguing and insightful exploration into the lives of nineteenth century black Americans and her own family history. Peterson walks the reader through her process of finding information such as personal family records, private historical collections, newspapers, and public records and explains how she fits the pieces together. She explores why so little of this history was preserved and recognizes the people who took the initiative to compile the limited information that exists. While the narrative feels unfocused at times, this seems like the inevitable result of trying to craft an entire book from very few sources. While there are many unanswered questions and stories with missing pieces, Peterson does a great job of creating a solid narrative.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book to get some clarity on my own family history as the Peter Ray in the book was my great(x3) uncle. Carla's research and detail gave me insight on what his days at the Lorillard company may have been like as well as the community in which he lived. I enjoyed reading about her discoveries shuffling through pages to find her ancestral history while congruently making sense of my own.

[Melinda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was our book club pick because I heard so much about it on the Gilded Age podcast. While I can see how it informed the writers of the show, it was not a good pick for book club. It read a little like a textbook and no one was able to finish it. I abandoned it, but I did learn a lot from the parts that I read.

[Amelia Valentino · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. There are so many fascinating branches and threads that Peterson tries to connect with memory but it just feels so unfocused and I wish she had been able to drill into one of the many interesting aspects that made up her family.

[Barb A]

A bit of NYC black history

Interesting history of blacks in NYC . I had no idea. I wish the author had continued with the history of her own most recent ancestors;she stops after her great-grandfather.

[Samantha]

Recommended by Gilded Age podcast

[Sequella Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very detailed “family history” black Gotham prior to and alongside the Harlem Renaissance.

Too detailed and personal to read like a linear story. Very useful resource.

Well done