The 1846 Attempt to Enfranchise African-Americans and Poor Whites in NY

February 12, 2023 2:23 PM

One of John Brown's funders gave 3,000 land grants so that the recipients could qualify to vote. The New York State Archives has a copy of a ledger showing transactions from Gerrit Smith, an abolitionist and among the wealthiest people in New York. The effort was, in part, to enable the recipients to meet the state's property requirement for voting. The Albany Times-Union has a story about the ledger and Smith.
posted by thescoop (7 comments total)

The John Brown Farm State Historic Site is worth a visit if visiting the Lake Placid area; it’s lovely but with a somewhat disorienting view of the nearby Olympic ski jumps. Docents there discuss the land grant plan, which was well-meaning; unfortunately many of those who elected to try living on the land found the soil poor and conditions hostile to farming—especially for the inexperienced.
posted by kinnakeet at 3:45 PM on February 12, 2023 [4 favorites]

Thank you for sharing some history I was not aware of!
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 3:56 PM on February 12, 2023 [1 favorite]

I love when rich people do an end run around other rich people.

And while our local sites on the Underground Railroad were celebrated, nowhere in my education in this state, from Kindergarten through public university, was I ever taught that slavery had even existed in New York, let alone as recently as 1827.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 6:27 PM on February 12, 2023 [7 favorites]

I've visited when I was upstate. Beautiful place, although poi t taken about the rocks.
posted by eustatic at 11:42 PM on February 12, 2023

Parenthetically, I believe that John Brown did nothing wrong and deserves a presidential pardon and a federal holiday.
posted by mikelieman at 2:57 AM on February 13, 2023 [5 favorites]

The New York State Historian has a series of podcasts, including one on Timbuktoo. The link to the podcast has a few books listed, as well.

Anyone who has ever tried to dig a hole in the Adirondacks knows this is no place to farm.
posted by nothing.especially.clever at 4:33 AM on February 13, 2023 [2 favorites]

Thank you for the post. I also hadn't known this history till now.
posted by brainwane at 2:19 AM on February 16, 2023