New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced an ambitious project to make accessible the historical records of thousands of formerly enslaved New Yorkers who lived in the five boroughs when the practice of slavery was legal here. Led by the New York City Department of Records and Information Services (DORIS), the project will transcribe digitized historical records dating from 1660 to 1827— when slavery became illegal in New York. Transcribed data will help historians and everyday New Yorkers locate the records of enslaved New Yorkers and even, in some cases, trace familial roots. To accomplish the project, the Adams administration is calling for volunteers to transcribe the digital records and help create searchable data. To learn more about the project, visit the digital archive, or volunteer, New Yorkers can visit Archives.nyc. This announcement comes as the city celebrates Black History Month and all the contributions Black New Yorkers have made to New York City, as well as the city’s 400th anniversary this year.
“We cannot build a better, brighter future without first acknowledging and accepting our past,” said Mayor Adams. “This ambitious project allows everyday New Yorkers to understand the history of enslaved people who shaped our city into what it is today. For too long, enslaved people were forgotten and lost to the past. Today, with projects like this, we shed a light on their story, learn their names, and ensure that time does not leave them behind again.”
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“This first phase of the transcription project will make available records documenting enslaved people in New York City, and subsequent phases we’ll be adding more records,” DORIS Commissioner Pauline Toole. “This is part of the Municipal Archives and Library initiative to engage communities with the historical records of the city.”
The Municipal Archives — a division within DORIS — preserves and makes available city government’s records, dating from 1636 to the present. The Municipal Archives currently has identified and digitized nine volumes of records from towns in Brooklyn, Queens, and Westchester counties, dating from 1660 to 1838. The documents include birth certificates naming enslaved children, and documents that granted enslaved individuals their freedom. The volumes range from 200 to 500 pages, including both original documents and hand-written transcriptions of records. Using From the Page — a platform designed for transcription — volunteers will enter information from each volume into a form that DORIS will then use to publish a searchable guide. The transcribed data will be easily searchable and will help researchers and the general public locate and view records of thousands of formerly enslaved New Yorkers who lived in New York City that would otherwise be difficult to trace.
In December 2024, Mayor Adams announced “Founded By NYC,” a year-long inclusive, comprehensive acknowledgement of the 400th anniversary of New York City. In partnership with NYC Tourism + Conventions, Founded By NYC will celebrate how New York City has made history, and continues to do so — highlighting the achievements driven by the creativity and resilience of the five boroughs and it’s people, including the perspectives of marginalized audiences, like those of the Indigenous community, women, and people of color.
Throughout planning for New York City’s 400th anniversary, the mayor’s office has also partnered with the Lenape Center to uplift the voices of the Lenape Indigenous community. Last year, Mayor Adams proclaimed November 20 “Lenape Heritage Day” in a ceremony at Gracie Mansion. This announcement came one year after Mayor Adams hosted the first-ever mayoral reception celebrating Native American and Indigenous heritage at Gracie Mansion, as the city ensures the past contributions and painful experiences of the Lenape people and other Indigenous communities are not lost to history.
“The history of enslaved New Yorkers is an essential part of our city’s story—one that must be preserved and made accessible,” said New York City Councilmember Dr. Nantasha Williams. “I commend Mayor Adams and the Department of Records and Information Services for this initiative to transcribe and digitize these records, ensuring the voices of those once enslaved are not lost to time. This effort deepens our understanding of the past and helps New Yorkers connect with their history. I encourage everyone to support this project by volunteering or engaging with these records as we work toward a fuller, more honest representation of our shared history.”
