New York Correction History Society’s February 2008 Black History Month presentation to NYC DOC’s Correction Law Enf

1. New York Correction History Society’s February 2008 Black History Month presentation to NYC DOC’s Correction Law Enforcement Explorers and Investigators

2. Black History Month began when? 1906? 1926? 1946? 1976? 1996? Who began it? Booker T. Washington? Dr. George W. Carver? Rev. Martin Luther King? Dr. Carter G. Woodson? Rev. Jessie Jackson? Carter G. Woodson was ex-slaves’ son, an unschooled coal miner at 17, self taught, graduated h.s. in 2 yrs, gained Harvard Ph.D, began Negro History Week Feb. 7, 1926. Negro became Black in ’60s, Week became Month in 1976.

3. Exploring and investigating some NYC Correction and Black History connections from Civil War era to modern era, inclusive.

4. Why was ‘Tombs’ the execution site for only American hanged as slave trader ? Built in late 1830s, City Prison in Lower Manhattan became place of execution Feb. 21, 1862 of Maine Capt. Nathaniel Gordon.

5. US Navy’s African Slave Trade Patrol, begun as anti-pirate squadron, expanded mission to enforce 1807 ban on importing slaves. But the traders often got off relatively easy … until the election of Abe Lincoln on GOP platform branding it “a crime against humanity,” vowing its “total and final suppression.”

6. Aug. 8, 1860, the Mohican captured the slave ship Erie with 897 who had been forced onto it. They were escorted to Liberia for care by theAmerican Colonization Society (membership certificate above). Erie’sill treatment and bad conditions resulted in death of 30 West Africans.

7. Gordon, rejected a Buchanan DA’s lesser penalty plea offer, opted for 2nd trial after hung jury ended first. But bad choice. Lincoln’s DA Smith: ‘no deals.’ He pushed for death in Gordon case to end NY port slave trade. The death sentence specified City Prison as site for hanging. U.S. DA Edward Delafield Smith

8. July 13, 1860 pirate-murderer Albert Hicks was hanged at Fort Wood, Bedloe's Island. Why not Gordon? Bedloe's Island Last appeal argued a 1860 NY state law barred any prison executions except for murder or treason. But Correction board chair S. Draper gave feds signed permission.

9. The execution was intended to display firm will to end slave trade. Would remote island site or NYC’s most famous prison best serve the purpose? The question really answers itself. Decades later Bedloe’s Island became what? Hint: It’s very visible from the Staten Island ferry. Bedloe’s later became Liberty Island.

10. The Tombs was one of the jails/prisons run by NYC Dept. of Public Charities & Correction that had on its annual report covers the same Mother figure giving succor to her needy as on the covers of its ancestor, the Alms House Dept. It ran hospitals and homes for the poor. The Colored Home Colored Orphan Asylum

11. 1863 draft rioters torched Colored Orphan Asylum. All 233 children saved, sheltered at other 1st U.S. black Dr.: James McC Smith 1st U.S. black Dr.: James McC Smith DPC&C facilities on Blackwell’s Isle

12. Riker’s Island-trained 20th Regiment USCTs parade in NYC 3/5/1864 Shamed by riot, Seymour had to withdrew objection to NY USCTs being formed by Union Leaguers. Gov. Seymour

13. Three of the 100+ Union regiments on Hart and Rikers Islands during Civil War were USCTs: the 20th, 26th, & the 31st. Rikers Island before land- fill Hart Island

14. Rikers-trained 26th USCT on parade at Camp Wm. Penn, Pa. and the 20th’s camp flag of 34 stars.

15. Chaplain for the 20th USCT George W. LeVere later pastor of Knoxville church & national leader of many Prince Hall Masonic lodges that trace back to Boston ex-slave patriot. Rikers’ 26th USCT regimental banner had its name on top, “God and Liberty” below.

16. Camp flag of Rikers’ 26th USCT with sewn name. Note 5 rows of 6 stars and 1 row of 5 stars = 35.

17. Rikers Island 26th USCT’s chaplain later worked in S.C. w/ Freedmen’s Bureau. Elected State Senator & head of S.C. GOP. Gunned down by 3 white men. In Columbia a cemetery was established in his honor. Benjamin Franklin Randolph

18. African American Civil War Memorial in D.C. features the sculpture Spirit of Freedom and the Wall of Honor – with 209,145 USCT names, including 5,092 who trained on Hart and Rikers Islands that became NYC Correction facilities in 1869 and 1884, respectively.

19. 2 who headed NYC jail & charity facilitieselected Mayor, differed. Anti-Lincoln Mayor Gunther had to preside over NYC’s official mourning for slain President but vetoed reprinting of the funeral ceremony program. C. Godfrey Gunther Daniel F. Tiemann C. Godfrey Gunther Daniel F. Tiemann 1864 – 1865 anti-abolition, anti-Lincoln & Emancipation 1858 – 1860 anti-slavery, a founder of Cooper Union.

20. Wesleyan Chapel in Seneca Falls begun in 1843 by 39 Baptists when their church didn’t cut slavery ties. Presbyterians joined it after their church expelled Rhoda Bement who challenged minister’s not announcing a women’s abolitionist meeting.

21. 5 years later in the Chapel the 1st Women’s Rights Convention held, run by female abolitionists. Rhoda Bement was among subscribers. Era’s top Black advocate Frederick Douglass spoke, invited by Rhoda’s co-chairperson of anti-slavery fund-raiser Elizabeth M’Clintock. His statue at NPS hq.

22. 48 years later the grand- daughter of Rhoda Bement ran a Philadelphia settlement house, arranged for and worked with W. E. B. DuBois in urban sociology study of the ghetto it served. Entitled The Philadelphia Negro. Her name was Katharine Bement Davis (KBD).

23. In 1900 KBD named to run Bedford Hills Katharine Bement Davis Reformatory for women. Refused to segregate inmates on basis of race. In 1914 KBD named NYC Correction Commissioner, first woman to head any NYC govmt agency. VP, Woman Suffragist Party, 1st on NY ballot.

24. KBD began NYC Parole Board, was 1st chairperson. In 1939 LaGuardia named Lou Gehrig to it. Lt. Samuel Battle, 1st Black cop, succeeded him. Battle Phillips

25. Benjamin Malcolm began in 1946 as an officer of the NYC Parole Board begun in 1915 by KBD. In 1978 he became Deputy Correction Commissioner & in 1972 Commissioner, first Black to head NYC DOC. In 1977, he became US Parole Commissioner.

26. 1st Black cop in 80th Pct. in Brooklyn. • Law degree, NYPD Lt., Legal Affairs atty. • Complaint Bd. Exec. • In 1975 1st Black named NYS correctional services commissioner . • In 1978 named NYC Housing Police Chief. • In 1979 named NYC Correction Commissioner • In 1984 1st Black named NYPD commissioner. Benjamin Ward

27. 1st woman to head Academy. • 1st woman top uniformed officer. • 1984 named Correction Commissioner. • 1st CO to rise there thru ranks. • 1st African-American female Commissioner. Jacqueline McMickens • 3rd woman to become Commissioner.

28. James A. Thomas James A. Thomas Rikers penitentiary, built in 1933, named James A.Thomas Center in 1989 for man credited as Dept.’s 1st Black warden. He served as its warden from 1965. He had been tank sgt. in WWII, joined DOC in ’46 and retired after 30 years service.

29. AMK w/Mayor Wagner James C. Harrelson, Dep. Warden honored for releasing inmates to help rescue people from burning wreckage of LaG Airport plane that crashed on Rikers Feb. 1, 1957. Except for Thomas’ earlier pro- visional app’tment, tied with Thomas as 1st Black permanently appointed warden.

30. Bx barge jail for Warden Vernon C. Bain. Warden Otis T. Bantum Chief of Dept. Eric M. Taylor Chief of Dept. Rbt. N. Davoren

31. Jessie L. Behagen 1962 Before Guardians, DOC recognized Correctionaires founded in 1939. Its presidents included Warden Harrelson and Superintendent Behagen. Fr.Lawrence Lucas of Guardians

32. Now making DOC Black History: COBA President Norman Seabrook Chief of Dept. Carolyn Thomas CCA President Ronald Whitfield

33. www.correctionhistory.org 7.000+ files The web resource for NY correction history 3000+ files of text & images totaling 70+ megabytes. NY Correction History Society