Discover your history in learning about the oldest surviving free black community in the US.

1. SANDY GROUND
BY: RACHELLE MANGIN

2. SANDY GROUND
STATEN ISLAND, NY
The oldest surviving “Free
Black” community in the United
States

3. History of Sandy Ground
Slavery was abolished in New York
State on July 4th, 1827
Capt. John Jackson purchased land in
Westfield-now Rossville, Staten Island
This was the first recorded purchase of
a land by a black man known today as
Sandy Ground
Sandy Ground is the oldest community
established by free black slaves in
North America

4. History of Sandy Ground…
 Sandy Ground is
located in the
southern part of
Staten Island, New
York not far from
the shipping ports

5. Sandy Ground Then…
 By 1830s, freed men and woman from all
over New York State, Maryland, Virginia,
and Snow Hill, Maryland, would follow
Jackson‟s lead, settling on Staten Island
as an oasis from persecution.
 Sandy ground became the “gateway to
freedom”
 Sandy ground also served as an
important stop on the Underground
Railroad, and is the oldest continuously
settled free black community in the
United States

6. History of Sandy Ground…
 The freed slaves that first settled formed a
farming community, which grew as free black
oyster fishermen from Maryland and
Delaware settled the region.
 These early settlers were skilled in the
oystering trade.
 Oystering harvesting was a major business
on Staten Island during the 19th century and
was mainly conducted on the island‟s south
shore
 By harvesting oysters and farming, this
fledging community was able to thrive and
became a safe haven on the Underground
Railroad

7. Sandy Ground Then..
 The oyster harvesting industry was a
major business here in the 19th
century, and the oysters the men of
Sandy Ground planted and raked in
were sold in the finest restaurants in
Manhattan and elsewhere

8. Sandy Ground Then…
 Sandy Ground was one of several
similar neighborhoods in urban
centers in the Northeast where free
blacks gathered to further themselves
socially and economically
 Homes and school were built for the
young and old. The literacy rate was
60%, according to the 1860 Census.
High for any area in those times

9. Sandy Ground Then…
 In the midst of this thriving community,
the Zion African Methodist Episcopal
Church was formed on Dec 5th, 1850
 This was a central meeting place and
annual camp meetings were held at the
church in those early years, with people
coming from as far away as Connecticut
and Virginia to celebrate living a “free
life”
 The first church was built of frame
construction in 1854. It was destroyed by
fire and replaced by the current building,
which was occupied on Dec 19, 1897

10. Sandy Ground Then…
 Residents of the area were known to
have large plots of land and prided
themselves on their industry and self-
sufficiency. Relations with local white
neighbors, though not intimate, were
for the most part cordial
 As the oyster beds became
overworked, many people turned to
well digging, iron
working, blacksmithing and being
midwives.

11. Sandy Ground Then…
 On a Spring day in 1963, devastating
brush fires raged across the Island on
a dry spring day
 Quite a number of buildings were
destroyed in that one-day inferno.
 And the community began to decline
when oysters in New York waters
became tainted, and the city closed
the beds supporting Sandy Ground by
1916.

12. Sandy Ground Now…
 Ten houses remain in the area where
more than 60 once stood
 Several historic sites were fortunately
spared: a 17th-century private school;
the home of William Pedro, who died
in 1988 at the age of 106; the Bishop
Forge, the last private blacksmith shop
in New York, and the only intact 18th -
century African cemetery in America

13. Sandy Ground Now…
 As the oldest continuously inhabited
free Black settlement in the Unites
States, Sandy Ground is a place of
great historical significance.
 Today, Sandy Ground is home to the
families that are descendants of
original settlers

14. Sandy Ground Now…
 The Rossville A.M.E Zion Church still
plays a prominent role in the life of this
part of Staten Island
 Many families still live in the
community that was founded by their
courageous ancestors
 The rich history of Sandy Ground has
been documented and preserved
through the efforts of the Sandy
Ground Historical Society

15. Sandy Ground Now…
 Descendants of the original settlers still
live on Staten Island, and Sandy Ground
Historical Society runs a museum and
library that examines the life and history
of the freed Blacks who settled in the
area prior to the Civil War
 The Sandy Ground Historical Society
maintains the largest documentary
collection of African-American culture
and history on Staten Island and the
museum also serves as an educational
research facility charted by the state
Department of Education

16. Sandy Ground Now…
 The Society‟s Museum and library are
dedicated to researching, preserving, and
informing visitors about this historically
important Staten Island Community.
 The museum preserves material related to
the historic town, as well as letters,
photographs, film, art, rare books, quilts and
other archaeological artifacts.
 Highlights include a rare surviving can of
Tettersalve, a beauty product manufactured
by legendary Harlem businesswoman
Madame C. J. Walker, and a letter from W. E.
B. DuBois.

17. Sandy Ground Now…
 The museum educates and inspires the
public with exhibitions, photographs, and
art documenting the history of Sandy
Ground and African Americans
 Sandy Grounds Historical Society
museum has sponsored arts and craft
sessions, a music heritage series, a
lectures series presented in Island
schools and churches, and a traveling
lecture sessions to institutions around
the country

18. Sandy Ground Now…
 A visit to Sandy Ground guarantees a
lesson in our Nation‟s history
 Many families still live in the
community that was founded by their
courageous ancestors
 Some descendants of Sandy
Ground‟s Bishop family migrated to
the south and currently live in
Raleigh, NC since 1999

19. Sandy Ground Now…
 For further information and assistance
on Sandy Ground, the oldest surviving
“Free Black” community in the United
States
 Please Contact:
The Sandy Ground Historical Society,
Inc.
1538 Woodrow Road
Staten Island, New York 10309
(718) 317-5796

20. Sandy Ground Picture Gallery

21. SANDY GROUND PICTURE
GALLERY
Pictures of Sandy Ground‟s Landscape

22. Sandy Ground
Picture Gallery
Sandy Grounds Landscape

23. Sandy Ground Picture Gallery
 The Landmark
Preservation
Commission of
New York City
granted protective
status to two
„baymen‟s
cottages” at Sandy
Ground on Staten
Island

24. Sandy Ground Picture Gallery
 Mr. and Mrs. Harry
Hicks of Sandy
Ground, circa 1900

25. Sandy Ground Picture Gallery
 Robert McKinney,
Jeffrey Moody,
Catherine
McKinney, Denise
Pedro and Warren
Landin, from left,
play in Sandy
Ground on March
31, 1967. The
community was
founded in
Rossville around
1830.

26. Sandy Ground
Picture Gallery
A 1800s couple from Sandy Ground

27. Sandy Ground
Picture Gallery

28. Sandy Ground
Picture Gallery

29. Sandy Ground
Picture Gallery

30. Sandy Ground
Picture Gallery

31. Sandy Ground Picture Gallery
 Built before
1859, the Coleman
House is a
vernacular frame
structure that has
just been granted
landmark status by
the city

32. Sandy Ground Picture Gallery
 1897 Rossville
AME Zion Church

33. Sandy Ground
Picture Gallery
The “only” intact 18th -century African cemetery in
America

34. Sandy Ground
Picture Gallery
Picture of outside the Sandy Ground Historical
Museum

35. Sandy Ground
Picture Gallery
Inside the Sandy Ground Historical Museum

36. Sandy Ground Picture Gallery
 Quilts are among
the historical items
on display at the
Sand Ground
museum and
library

37. Sandy Ground
Picture Gallery
One of the exhibits inside the Sandy Ground
Historical Museum

38. References
 "Black History Lives at Sandy Ground". Staten Island Advance. 2005-04-24.
Stephanie Reitz (2009-11-23). "Group tries to preserve 2 historic Conn.
homes". Associated Press (Boston Globe).
http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2009/11/23/homes_bui
lt_in_conn_by_free_blacks_in_jeopardy/. Retrieved 2010-08-02.
 "Sandy Ground Historical Museum". Office of the Staten Island Borough
President. http://www.statenislandusa.com/pages/sandy_ground.html.
Retrieved 2009-08-22.
 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places.
National Park Service. 2009-03-13.
http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html.
 Biddle, William T. “A.M.E. Zion Church” in History of Methodism and the
Methodist Churches of Staten Island, ed. A. Y. Hubbell (New York: Richmond
Publishing Company, 1898), p149
 Ferreri, James G. (2005-02-28). "On Sacred Ground". Staten Island
Advance.
http://www.silive.com/homegarden/interiordesign/index.ssf/2008/02/on_sacre
d_ground.html. Retrieved 2009-08-22.
 Sandy Ground, Staten Island. (2011, June 7). In Wikipedia, The Free
Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:42, January 2, 2012, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sandy_Ground,_Staten_Island&oldi
d=433079300