A striking new exhibition at the Center for Brooklyn History is pulling back the veil on the borough’s deep and often hidden connection to slavery through the display of 200-year-old indentures documenting the sale of enslaved people — some with names that echo through Brooklyn’s streets today.
Titled “Traces,” the exhibit, on view through August 2025, presents original and reproduced documents, including indentures dating back to the 1800s.
These papers provide rare insight into the lives of individuals such as Mercy, a young child, and Frank, a 24-year-old man, both sold into slavery in Brooklyn — long considered a progressive and diverse borough, but one with a past built on human bondage.
In a recent post shared by Brownstoners Bed-Stuy, Inc. on Instagram, the organization thanked @brooklynhistory for “providing such necessary history,” and invited the public to attend walk-throughs and guided tours led by the historians behind the project.
A Legacy Hidden in Plain Sight
The exhibit is curated in part by Dominique Jean-Louis, Chief Historian at the Center for Brooklyn History, and Natiba Guy-Clement, Director of Special Collections.
In a video shared on social media, the pair walk through key artifacts, noting how familiar family names like Vanderbilt and Bergen appear as signatories and witnesses on indentures documenting the sale and inheritance of enslaved individuals.
“These are names we see on our subway stops and street signs,” Jean-Louis explained. “These families consolidated wealth by passing on enslaved people through marriage or inheritance — keeping value within a tight circle of influence.”
“We really wanted to make these items accessible,” added Guy-Clement. “They are reproduced here so patrons can engage directly with the documents.”
Upcoming Genealogy Workshop
In tandem with the exhibition, the Center will also host a Genealogy Workshop titled “Researching Your Family’s Roots at the Center for Brooklyn History” on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, from 6:30–8 PM. The event aims to guide participants in uncovering ancestral histories, particularly those rooted in Brooklyn.
Details and registration information can be found via the Center’s Instagram profile @brooklynhistory, where a link is provided in their bio.
Reclaiming and Reframing Brooklyn’s Past
“Traces” offers a sobering reminder that Brooklyn’s legacy is more complex than often remembered — and that the very fabric of its communities was once interwoven with slavery and systemic inequality.
By highlighting these documents and the stories they carry, the Center for Brooklyn History is reframing the narrative and inviting the public to confront the real human cost behind familiar landmarks.
The exhibit is open to the public at the Center for Brooklyn History, located at 128 Pierrepont Street, Brooklyn, NY. Admission is free.