Seneca Village, Central Park,
and Considering the Consequences of
Community Expropriation to Create Parks
Gradual Abolition of Slavery
In contrast to the emancipation of slaves in the southern
states, slavery in New York ended gradually across
several decades. In 1781, in recognition of time served
with the rebels during the Revolution, the New York
Legislature freed enslaved peoples who participated in
the Revolution for at least three years or who were reg-
ularly discharged from service (Elsenstadt, 2005). The
Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery of 1799 emanci-
pated the children of enslaved mothers born after July
4, 1799 (New York State, 1799); however, the freed chil-
dren were still indentured servants for up to 28 years.
At the turn of the 19
th
century, white supremacy ide-
ology began to rise. A citizen wrote an article in the New
York Gazette and General Advertiser in 1803, voicing
upset with the "whole host of Africans that now deluge
our city" (New York Gazette and General Advertiser,
January 3, 1803 as cited in White, 1991). Historic docu-
ments indicated that free Black people were frequently
accused of crimes by a white judicial system (White,
1991). Death records and coroner reports allude to resi-
dential instability among free Black people (see Coroner's
Report for John Richards, a Black Man, 1804, January
By Alexander Martin
Board Certified Master Arborist, Tree Care Industry Association
Certified Treecare Safety Professional, Director of Ironwood Urban
Forestry Consulting Inc, Co-Chair of the Canadian TREE Fund
What do you think of when you think of a city park?
You may conjure up ideas of grassy hills for pic-
nicking or flat stretches ideal for soccer or football.
You may envision large stately trees, protected within
the boundaries of the public park. For many, if asked
to name a large city park, they will draw from New
York: the noteworthy, world-renowned Central Park.
To many urban planners and urban foresters, Central
Park is the epitome of urban greenspace design objec-
tives. The fields and woods of Central Park may suggest
a natural landscape; however, Central Park is anything
but. Some may be familiar with the extensive work
involved in creating the park, including bringing in four
million trees, shrubs, and other plants (Beck, 2013).
However, an under-acknowledged impact of the creation
of Central Park was the dislocation of a predominantly
Black community called Seneca Village that was expro-
priated (removed by the government through eminent
domain) in the making of Central Park. The Seneca
Village story, while largely unknown amongst urban plan-
ners and urban foresters, provides important insights for
ongoing conversations around environmental justice.
12 CityTREES
