A Look Into Black History in Westchester County

A look back on historical moments and the African Americans who shaped Westchester as we know it today.

The history of Westchester County offers far more than lavish Gilded Age estates and Revolutionary heroes. It also reverberates with countless stories of resilience and tenacity from the county’s Black residents, who, from the early days of slavery through 20th-century clashes over civil rights and remarkable cultural achievements, have shaped and reshaped not only the region but the world.

Westchester County

In the colonial period, enslaved people formed the backbone of Westchester’s agricultural economy. At places like Philipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hollow, enslaved men and women worked the gristmill, tended livestock, and managed the 52,000-acre property for the powerful Philipse family. The historic site now centers around the stories of those enslaved people whose uncompensated labor enriched the Philipses and laid the foundation for Westchester’s early growth.

- Advertisement -

By the American Revolution, some 15,000 enslaved people lived and labored in New York State; the 1790 census shows that approximately 6 percent of people in Westchester County were enslaved, mostly on large estates that dotted the landscape.

A photo of Reverend Henry Edward Duers, an enslaved man who escaped North Carolina, fought in the Civil War, and later founded Ossining’s Star of Bethlehem Baptist Church.
A photo of Reverend Henry Edward Duers, an enslaved man who escaped North Carolina, fought in the Civil War, and later founded Ossining’s Star of Bethlehem Baptist Church.

John Jay, one of America’s key founders and the first Supreme Court chief justice, left a complicated legacy in Westchester. A lifelong resident of the county, Jay came from a family that owned enslaved people—a practice he initially accepted. However, his perspective evolved, and he became one of New York’s most prominent voices for abolition. His efforts contributed to New York’s 1799 Gradual Emancipation Act, which mandated the eventual freedom of enslaved individuals in the state in 1827, giving slave owners time to adjust. While Jay’s commitment to ending slavery took time to solidify, his work left a lasting impact on the abolition movement in Westchester and beyond.

Today, the Jay Heritage Center in Rye not only preserves the former home of the founding father but also honors the legacy of the enslaved and free individuals who lived and worked there. The site hosts educational programs, such as the interactive play “Striving for Freedom,” which is offered free to middle schools across Westchester to teach African American history.

artifact
A look at some of the exhibits and artifacts featured in the Bethany Arts Community in Ossining celebrating African American history in Westchester.

After the official end of slavery in New York in 1827, Black residents continued to establish themselves, building churches, social networks, and family ties. During the 19th century, a crucial trunk of the Underground Railroad ran through Westchester, thanks to residents who risked safety to help freedomseekers move northward. In Tarrytown and Peekskill, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church—known as the “Freedom Church”—became a vital stop for those trying to escape slavery. Locals sympathetic to the cause offered cover, sometimes hiding runaways to elude slave catchers and contribute to the larger network of liberation.

class

- Partner Content -

In other places in the county, free Black people created their own communities. The Hills, in Harrison, was a rural settlement that became a refuge where free African Americans could cultivate their own lives, farms, and families away from the oppressive constraints of urban centers. The community flourished as residents worked the land, building a tight-knit society. Over time, The Hills transformed into a symbol of freedom and self-determination for Black people across the country. Thirty-six residents fought in the Civil War to preserve the Union and end slavery. A remarkable exhibit on the website of the Harrison Public Library includes census data, maps, land deeds, soldiers’ letters, and newspaper articles about The Hills—a lasting testament to the vitality of this self-sustaining Black community. All that remains of the community itself is the 6.5-acre Stony Hill Cemetery, which houses the remains of some 200 former Hills residents, including 12 veterans of the Civil War.

desk

Today, the Jay Heritage Center in Rye not only preserves the former home of the founding father but also honors the legacy of the enslaved and free individuals who lived and worked there.

Across the county, cemeteries and churches hold records of this rich past. The historic St. Paul’s Church in Mount Vernon, founded in 1665, later became a refuge for free Black residents and the formerly enslaved. A significant number of the 8,000 individuals buried in the cemetery are of African descent. Records of their lives are sparse, but a few stories are known, such as that of Benjamin Turner, an African American man who, after gaining his freedom, established a small farm near St. Paul’s Church. Despite limited opportunities for African Americans, Turner earned the deep respect of the local community, contributing to both civic and church activities. His legacy of independence and land ownership was carried on by his family for generations, leaving a lasting impact, recognized today by the naming of a nearby school in his honor.

In the decades after the Civil War, millions of African Americans migrated en masse from rural areas in the South to larger towns and cities in the North, including New York and its suburbs. But in many places, such as Yonkers, new Black arrivals were segregated into specific neighborhoods, often located near heavily polluting factories and other unpleasant areas.

Even so, Westchester’s Black residents made their mark across many spheres, including politics, the arts, and education. Photographer and filmmaker Gordon Parks, known for his striking depictions of social injustice and Black life, lived in the Parkway Gardens section of the town of Greenburgh, just north of White Plains, for nearly 30 years. A bastion of Black cultural life, the neighborhood was also home to the jazz band leader Cab Calloway and Harlem congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr. (and his second wife, jazz singer Hazel Scott), among others. Parks was the first Black staff photographer at Life magazine and one of America’s most celebrated documentarians. His legacy continues through the Gordon Parks Foundation, based in Pleasantville, which preserves his vast body of work and supports emerging artists committed to social justice themes. The foundation’s exhibitions and grants are a powerful tribute to Parks’ vision and his lifelong belief in the camera as a tool for social change.

Westchester’s Black history lives on through markers and monuments, oral histories, and the efforts of Joyce Sharrock Cole and others dedicated to preserving these stories.

When Ossining Village Historian Joyce Sharrock Cole first stepped into her role, she knew stories were waiting to be uncovered. Her passion for genealogy and history led her to a revelation: Ossining’s Black families often traced their roots to the same small Southern town, a thread of community history that begged to be explored. The Bethany Arts Community became her platform to do so, thanks to founder David Lyons, who encouraged her to bring her findings to life. “Let’s do it,” he said, providing a small budget that grew into something extraordinary: a rich, multi-room exhibit that goes beyond the well-known figures like Rosa Parks and Malcolm X to tell a deeper, more local story of triumph, struggle, and community contributions.

- Advertisement -
heritage center
More artifacts and photos that are on display at the Bethany Arts Community in Ossining.

The first Black History & Culture exhibit debuted in 2021, during the pandemic, drawing a few hundred visitors. Now, it’s a centerpiece of Ossining’s cultural calendar, with thousands of attendees and 4,000 students from five different school districts passing through its halls last year alone. “I wanted to present Black history in a way that I’ve never seen locally done,” Cole says. Featuring murals, commissioned art, and meticulously researched stories, the exhibit has grown into a powerful educational experience. To accommodate the strong demand, it now runs in February as well as the first half of March, with docents guiding tours to give Cole a break from juggling her day job and the overwhelming interest in the project.

For Cole, the work is deeply personal. Among her favorite stories is that of Reverend Henry Edward Duers, an enslaved man who escaped North Carolina, fought in the Civil War, and later founded Ossining’s Star of Bethlehem Baptist Church, a cornerstone for the Black community, as well as 14 other churches throughout New York State. Stories like Duers’, along with those of such trailblazers as the self-made cosmetics millionaire Madam C.J. Walker and the Black entrepreneurs behind the Depression-era Rise and Sun Golf Club, demonstrate the impact of local Black history. “These aren’t just stories of individual success,” Cole says. “They’re stories about using talents and gifts to uplift an entire community.”

New discoveries about Westchester’s Black history are being made all the time. Over the last few years, archaeologists have been digging near a Quaker meetinghouse in Rye. They uncovered the foundation of a home once owned by area saloon keeper William Voris, one of Westchester’s first successful Black entrepreneurs, as well as numerous glass and ceramic specimens from the period. Voris, who scholars believe may have been born into slavery in New Jersey, bought the property in 1841, at a time when millions of Black people in the South were still enslaved. After opening a tavern and an ice cream parlor, Voris achieved success. The 1870 census shows he was wealthier than most of his white neighbors.

More artifacts and photos that are on display at the Jay Heritage Center in Rye. A bronze statue of Ella Fitzgerald in Yonkers where she spent part of her early life.
A bronze statue of Ella Fitzgerald in Yonkers where she spent part of her early life.

Today, historical organizations and cultural groups across Westchester are working to unearth and share these hidden narratives. Westchester’s Black history lives on through markers and monuments, oral histories, and the efforts of Joyce Sharrock Cole and others dedicated to preserving these stories. Many sites have been added to the county’s official African American Heritage Trail, established in 2004 to celebrate this rich legacy.

In addition to its historic landmarks, Westchester continues to celebrate its Black cultural legacy with modern tributes. A life-sized bronze statue of jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald, who spent part of her childhood in Yonkers, stands in the city’s downtown. The statue, unveiled in 1996 and sculpted by artist Vinnie Bagwell, captures the “First Lady of Jazz” mid-performance, symbolizing both her artistic excellence and the vibrancy of Westchester’s Black history. Nearby, the Enslaved Africans’ Rain Garden, also sculpted by Bagwell, serves as a powerful tribute to the enslaved Africans who once lived and worked in the area. This public art installation features striking bronze sculptures that celebrate the resilience and humanity of those who endured slavery, ensuring their stories are not forgotten.

Each legacy—a new statue, a preserved church, an exhibit celebrating little-known heroes—adds depth to the county’s Black history, connecting past and present through shared spaces and memories. While the estates and monuments to more famous figures may be easier to spot, the legacy of Westchester’s Black community is woven into the landscape for those who look closely enough to see it.

Related: 5 Westchester Landmarks That Have Been Repurposed in Exciting Ways

Unveiled: A Boutique Bridal Brunch is February 23!

Our Best of Westchester Readers' Ballot is open through January 15!

Our Women in Business Awards event is November 21!

Our Best of Business event is October 30!

Our CEOs & Business Leaders Golf Outing is August 5!

Our Best of Westchester Party is July 24!

Our Westchester Home Design Awards event is June 26!

Our Wine & Food Festival returns June 4-9!

Our Wunderkinds event takes place on May 23!

Our Best of Business Ballot is open through May 15!

Our Healthcare Heroes Awards event takes place on May 9!

Our Westchester Home Builders Awards take place on April 4!

Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Forum is March 14!

Holiday flash sale ... subscribe and save 50%

Limited time offer. New subscribers only.