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Slavery 1776-1827

During the American Revolution, blacks were forbidden from enlisting into the Continental Army. However, when the British began recruiting blacks into the King’s army by promising freedom, the Americans followed suit. By the end of the war, some slaves were freed for fighting and some were able to escape during the havoc of the war. Thousands of blacks left the US and migrated to Nova Scotia or sailed to London and Sierra Leone. Many slaves fled to New York City in search of job opportunities and as free blacks began to populate the city, slavery in New York began to gradually decline. They opened businesses, purchased land, and established schools and churches. In 1790, the census recorded 1,036 free blacks in the city, which contrasted sharply with the 1,482 slaves and 46 free blacks in its neighboring Kings County. Slavery was completely abolished in New York State in 1827, and that same year, Freedom’s Journal, the first black-owned and operated newspaper, was published.