Abolitionist Place

227 Duffield Street was once home to abolitionists Thomas Truesdell and Harriet-Lee Truesdell. Thomas Truesdell worked for William Lloyd Garrison, an American reformer who published the first abolitionist newspaper. Harriet-Lee Truesdell worked as an officer in a woman's antislavery society. Their home and other homes on the block are believed to have been stops on the Underground Railroad (a network of supporters and safe houses throughout the North that helped many slaves flee the South before and during the Civil War.)

Former tenants of the home have reported findings of old stoves and iron cauldrons there, leading the current tenants to believe that the sub-basements of these houses served as feeding stations for escaped slaves passing through Brooklyn.

The area around Duffield Street is also rich in history. Polytechnic University's student center is located two blocks from Duffield Street. In 1860, the center was the Bridge Street African Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church, Brooklyn's first African-American church, as well as an abolitionist site. Then, just ten minutes from Duffield Street, Plymouth Church can be found. Abraham Lincoln, Sojourner Truth, and Frederick Douglass all attended this church. It is well known for its connection to the Underground Railroad. In fact, the tunnels beneath the homes on Duffield Street were believed to have led to this church. 

Many historians have studied the site and concluded that not only did the site witness Abolitionist activity, but it also provides insight into underground slave safe-houses. However, there was still dispute over whether or not the small homes were actually linked to the Underground Railroad. Therefore, the city hired consultants to investigate. Their response sparked anger among locals and abolitionists who fought back. Eventually, the city agreed to reconsider their plans and build without affecting the homes on Duffield. 

Today, 227 Abolitionist Place no longer faces threats of being demolished. However, it does still face many challenges such as raising money and gaining support to turn the home into a small museum and cultural center. The preservation of historical sites like this will provide more education on the history of the United States as the country moves forward. 

Strausbaugh, John. "On the Trail of Brooklyn’s Underground Railroad." New York Times. 10/12/07. Accessed Web, 6/15/17. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/12/arts/12expl.html?pagewanted=print&_r=0.

Furman, Robert. "History on Duffield Street." New York The Sun. 6/20/07. Accessed Web, 6/15/17. http://www.nysun.com/opinion/history-on-duffield-street/56955/.

Rebhorn, Emma. "The Case Of The Duffield Street Homes." The Brooklyn Rail. 9/4/07. Accessed Web, 6/15/17. http://brooklynrail.org/2007/09/local/the-case-of-the-duffield-street-homes.

"Downtown BK Underground Railroad Soap Opera Continues." Curbed New York. 11/14/08. Accessed Web, 6/15/17. https://ny.curbed.com/2008/11/14/10553802/downtown-bk-underground-railroad-soap-opera-continues.