Brooklynites: The Remarkable Story of the Free Black Communities that Shaped a Borough
Prithi Kanakamedala
New York University Press
Before it was a borough, Brooklyn was our nation’s third largest city. Its free Black community attracted people from all walks of life—businesswomen, church leaders, laborers, and writers—who sought to grow their city in a radical anti-slavery vision.
The residents organized and agitated for social justice. They did so even as their own freedom was threatened by systemic and structural racism, risking their safety for the sake of their city.
Brooklynites recovers the lives of these remarkable citizens and considers their lasting impact on New York City’s most populous borough.