UNDERGROUND RAILROAD HISTORY PROJECT of the CAPITAL REGION, Inc
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UNDERGROUND RAILROAD HISTORY PROJECT OF THE CAPITAL REGION, Inc. P.O. Box 10851 Albany, New York 12201 (518) 432-4432 www.ugrworkshop.com December 12, 2009 CO-FOUNDERS Ms. Alexandra M. Lord, Ph. D. Paul Stewart Branch Chief Mary Liz Stewart National Historic Landmarks Program US Department of the Interior National Park Service BOARD 1849 C Street, N. W. MEMBERS Washington, D. C. 20240 Dear Ms. Lord: Al DeSalvo President Thank you for your letter of November 16, 2009. We are happy to respond with the information you requested. In addition to this information we Colwyn Allen would like to provide you with additional background about Stephen and Pat Barrot Robert Bullock Harriet Myers (spelled Meyers by some) and this location where they Ron Gardner lived (194 Livingston Avenue, in Albany), recognizing that available Kathleen Godfrey John Inman published material about them is rather scarce and sketchy. The Annette Johnson availability of material about them and their activities is not because of a Alethia Jones lack of researchable material but because there have been no repositories Eileen Kawola Vera Michelson of material about them. Material must be pieced together to present a Anthony Opalka complete picture. We continue to discover new material that adds to what Mae Saunders we know and come to understand in new ways material we already have. Andor Skotnes Paul Stewart Maurice Thornton What we propose is that the building known today as 194 Livingston Avenue in Albany, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, is a site of such stature that it should have National Landmark status. It should obtain National Landmark status because it survives as a place where a major African American Underground Railroad figure resided (Douglass’ home in Rochester was destroyed by fire, Loguen’s home in Syracuse no longer exists, Jones’ original home in the period in Binghamton no longer exists, and many others have been lost), it functioned as a headquarters for a Vigilance Committee of importance in the UGRR system (see attached document), and Myers’ importance for the movement for African American freedom is significant. Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region, Inc. is a non-profit 501( c ) 3 organization provisionally chartered by the Regents of the University of the State of New York The Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence has already attained recognition as being of national significance through the National Register of Historic Places listing on three counts: it is significant as a place which was part of the Underground Railroad, for the person who lived there – Stephen Myers – and for its architecture as a vernacular town house of the period. Stephen Myers and his wife Harriet together were significant figures in the Underground Railroad movement. They assisted hundreds of fugitives from slavery as documented in their correspondence with other figures of the period. Stephen Myers was the “Superintendent” of the Albany station from the mid 1840s to the Civil War. Stephen Myers, his wife and children lived at 194 Livingston Avenue in 1856 to 1858. This location is tied to their work: a) because they were constantly involved in this work and; b) because it was also the office of the Vigilance Committee of the Underground Railroad as attested to by the Vigilance Committee broadside, a copy of which is included in the material attached to this correspondence. We will also address the variety of questions you raised in your letter. Results of his lobbying: Stephen Myers engaged in lobbying with the New York State Legislature to advance the cause of black voting rights in the 1850s. He was successful in getting a bill introduced in the state Senate to eliminate the property qualification against black voters that had been placed in the state constitution. This bill failed to clear the Senate the first year but did so the second year. It was not passed by the lower house of the legislature. [Myers letter of March 22, 1856 to Gerrit Smith, published in Ripley, C. Peter, The Black Abolitionist Papers , UNC Press, Vol IV, p.326-330] Myers was responsible for presenting more than nineteen petitions representing 1,600 persons to the state legislature on behalf of black voting rights for the New York State Suffrage Association, the Black voting rights group of the period. Myers was able to help defeat efforts by the New York State Colonization Society to obtain state funding for its programs in 1856. He obtained commitments from 60 Senators to oppose the funding. This stymied the Colonization Society’s attempt to gain ground in New York State. In 1859-60 Myers and others successfully persuaded the state legislature to authorize a referendum on equal suffrage. The referendum was defeated at the polls. The effort was a success in bringing the issue to the public to be debated. The expectation was that future generations would build upon that effort. Although Myers’ efforts did not translate into change on the legislative front in many cases it is worth noting that the defeat of the efforts of the Colonization Society to obtain state funding contributed to the society’s decline in the 1850s period. The organization of many local affiliates of the New York State Suffrage Association contributed to the political empowerment of blacks in local communities. In this period the right of petition was regarded as much more significant then it is regarded today. These groups skillfully utilized the right of petition to assert their interests. Albany and the Burned Over District: One of the problems with any scheme to describe social movements is that they have their limitations. This is the case with the 2 concept of the “Burned Over District”. The area generally is considered to be central and western Upstate New York. The idea that this geography where religious enthusiasm seemed to thrive had some abrupt border between Syracuse and Albany cannot be argued. The people of the Albany region were also greatly affected by the revivalism of the “burned over district” and because the government of the state of New York was seated in Albany it was considered an important center for bringing issues to the state. Many religious movements that found their roots in central and western New York had their adherents in the Albany region. An example of this is the two Wesleyan Churches in Albany which were noted for their reformism in Methodism and their anti-slavery posture and the nearby Shaker community which is also noted for its religious enthusiasm. Because of its importance there were meetings at the state capital debating slavery and emancipation in the 1830s. Many meetings held in Albany were made up of representatives from the central and western parts of the state as well. One such meeting took place from February 28 to March 2, 1838 at the Presbyterian Church in Albany. This “Albany Anti Slavery Convention” is said to have had 200 in attendance including Gerrit Smith, numerous others from the western and central parts of the state, and Stephen Myers and Rev. Nathaniel Paul of Albany. Among the propositions agreed upon by its members were ones asserting “sympathy” for the enslaved and for fugitives from slavery, embracing the use of “political power” as well as “moral suasion” to end slavery. Of note for this meeting was a large local Black representation. Albany, as a constituent part of the Upstate region, shared in the feeling of there being constructive things people could do to make the world better. Promoting self-determination and self-help through agrarian reform, Myers spearheaded the Florence Farming and Lumber Association. This association was designed to offer for sale to African Americans lots equaling up to 30 acre plots in the Town of Florence in Oneida County, New York. Supporting contributions were directed to be sent to Dr. McCune Smith or Rev. Charles Ray of New York City. Contributions of cash and goods were provided by a long list of prominent individuals. People in Albany, along with Stephen Myers, were involved in many of the reform movements that were hall marks of the period such as the temperance movement, religious reform, agrarian reform, the abolitionist movement, just as were those in the central and western parts of the state such as the “burned over” district. Albany’s geographic position on the Underground Railroad: Albany geographically was in a good position to facilitate transit to Canada for freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad. It was a sort of “hub” location from which freedom seekers traveled east, west and north to freedom. The rapid means of transportation available in the region by way of the Hudson River and its river day liners and the Erie Canal and later through the railroad’s connecting this same route was very important. Equally important was the local support present in the communities at the terminus of the Hudson River route to the Erie Canal and those communities along the Canal. Frederick Douglass is credited with the reflection that one of the earliest established routes of the Underground Railroad ran from Washington to Philadelphia where William Still provided assistance, to New York City where Mr. Gibbs provided help, to Albany where Stephen Myers provided assistance, to Syracuse where Jermaine Loguen operated, to Rochester where Douglass operated and thence to Canada. In each of these cities a strong community of support was present for the efforts of helping freedom seekers to Canada. 3 In Albany a long history of assistance and a strong community of support has been shown to be present. As early as 1831, Myers is known to have assisted fugitives to Canada. He formed the Northern Star Association for the purpose of devoting organized support to fund raising and providing assistance to freedom seekers as well as organizing support for ways to educate the public on the institution of slavery and its abolition.