How Brooklyn's Weeksville Heritage Center Was Saved
Decades before the Civil War erupted and forever changed American history, a flourishing community of free Black people was founded in New York. Named "Weeksville" after the Black activist who bought the land, the small community provided a refuge against racial violence.
Now, the Weeksville Heritage Center in Brooklyn, New York, is dedicated to preserving and highlighting that remarkable history. In 2019, the center nearly shut down because it struggled to pay its bills. Faced with the loss of an important historical site, advocacy groups and private donors came together to raise more than $350,000 through a crowdfunding campaign.
Additional funds were secured through the city. By March 2020, Weeksville was the first new organization accepted into New York City's Cultural Institutions Group (CIG) in more than 20 years. CIG members have their basic operating costs covered by the city.
"We're proud to support organizations doing vital work to celebrate and preserve Black history in New York City," Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement.
"Adding Weeksville to our C.I.G. program will deepen their collaboration with the city and help them thrive for years to come — and give generations of New Yorkers the chance to learn the story of our city in its full color and complexity."
Weeksville offers a rare glimpse into the lives of its early Black settlers. A short wooden bridge leads visitors to the Hunterfly Road Houses, three houses built in the mid-1800s. The center also features a modern visitor’s center built by the city in 2013. Artists, musicians, and cultural leaders frequently use the space to showcase their work.
Seven hundred families called Weeksville home at its height. The small community even had its own newspaper. However, the area eventually fell into disrepair and wasn't rediscovered until 1968 when a pilot spotted the Hunterfly Road Houses during an aerial survey. Historical interest was roused, and archeologists descended upon the spot within a year. Some of the items they uncovered are still on display today.
"Weeksville is not just a local treasure, it's a national treasure, rich with literal traces of courageous Black leaders, business people, and visionaries," explained artist Fahamu Pecou, who hosted a show called “Memory” at the acclaimed center in 2019. Duggal Visual Solutions had the honor of working with curator Natalya Mills-Mayrena, Executive Director Rob Fields and Deputy Director Anita Warren to provide framed canvas prints, text graphics and labels for Fecou’s exhibition.
The Weeksville Heritage Center was saved by the efforts of the local community. It's a monument to African American history that now stands amongst New York's most prestigious cultural institutions.
