Deciding the Fate of the Duffield St. Houses
City Council Member Charles Barron and the Brooklyn organization, Families United for Racial and Economic Equality, claim that seven houses on Duffield and Gold Streets were used in the Underground Railroad and should be saved as historical landmarks. The executive director of Families United, Ilana Berger, says the evidence of Underground Railroad activity on the…
City Council Member Charles Barron and the Brooklyn organization, Families United for Racial and Economic Equality, claim that seven houses on Duffield and Gold Streets were used in the Underground Railroad and should be saved as historical landmarks. The executive director of Families United, Ilana Berger, says the evidence of Underground Railroad activity on the property can’t be denied.
However, the city hired a consulting firm, AKRF Inc., which found no evidence of Underground Railroad activity at the houses. Thus, the city sees no reason to preserve the buildings and hope to crush them to make room for a parking garage.
“It’s a particularly striking example of city development plans taking precedence over history, culture — particularly black history — in Brooklyn,” Barger said. A City Council hearing to determine the fate of the Underground Railroad Houses on Duffield Street takes place today at 11am.
AKRF vs. History: The Duffield St. Houses [YouTube]
Lawmakers Consider Fate of 7 Brooklyn Houses [NY Sun]
Underground Railroad Houses Get Hearing [Gowanus Lounge]
Photo by No Land Grab
This statement is incorrect:
“However, the city hired a consulting firm, AKRF Inc., which found no evidence of Underground Railroad activity at the houses.”
AKRF does not pretend that there is NO evidence. They claim that there is not sufficient verifiable evidence.
I covered the hearing yesterday at undergroundrailroadsafehouses.org and it should be noted that Barron’s skepticism of AKRF’s conclusion was shared widely among City Council representatives.