Black History Month in Review: The Little Details

When we tell the history of the enslaved, the focus is sometimes on large, sweeping stories as opposed to smaller, more individualized ones. While there are smaller details in the archives to draw from, they often aren’t enough on their own. They require research and contextualization that can be daunting to the untrained historian, but, with practice and patience, the stories that unfold are rich and vital. The most important thing is to talk about the possibilities these details offer us.

Below we’ve highlighted a handful of individuals and told their stories through what little details we know. We took those details and tried to expand them into a more complete image that gives us a glance into a specific moment in their lives. While there is so much we don’t know, it’s important to highlight and discuss what we do know.

This is Black History Month of 2025 in review.

Britt

Botanical illustration of ginger plant from 
'The beauties of creation, or, a new moral
system of natural history; in five volumes: 
consisting of quadrupeds, birds, fishes, and 
reptiles, trees and flowers, vol. 5, trees' 
Printed by George Riley.

In April of 1787, Britt was prescribed multiple medications by the Schuylers’ doctor. She was given liniment sapo, camphor gum, and ginger. On their own, the first two medications were used to treat pain, and could suggest treatment of injuries caused by repetitive motion, such as hauling water or sewing. But ginger was commonly prescribed to induce labor—a speculation further confirmed when, two months later, a stomach soothing medication was prescribed to “Britt’s child.” This receipt allows us to say more that “Britt had a baby.” We know she took ginger to induce her labor and took medication for the pain it caused. We know her child may have suffered from stomach aches as an infant. A singular receipt has shed light on this important moment in Britt’s life and allowed us a more personal glimpse into her world.

Stephen and Peter

This story comes to us via a 1775 letter written by Dr. Samuel Stringer, doctor to and friend of the Schuylers. The letter discusses the present state of affairs with the Six Nations, who had recently visited Albany as part of a peace negotiation.

Engraving of Six Nations people trading with 
Europeans (1722) by French artist Bacqueville 
de La Potherie.

In Dr. Stringer’s letter, he mentioned that “by some of [illegible] Schuyler Family, of whom we got long Stephen and Peter [illegible], and sent by them to antient belts of Aliance as tokens of the Old Covenants…” The two men mentioned in the letter, Stephen and Peter, were enslaved by the Schuylers. They had been sent to German Flatts carrying what was most likely wampum belts, which were essential in establishing continuing relations between the colonists and the Six Nations. The bringing of the “antient belts of Aliance” to the Six Nations would have been a major signifier from the colonial settlement of Albany that peace and communication were desired. This letter gives us a glimpse into an important trip Stephen and Peter took, and the knowledge that they played a role in an important diplomatic mission.

Will, Britt, Susannah, and Herry

View of Dutch Reformed Church in Albany prior to being
torn down in 1806.

Now we turn our focus to Will—a father separated from his family.

One of the very few mentions of Will is from the Albany Dutch Reformed Church, where he was recorded as “Serv. of P. Schuyler”* for a special occasion—the baptism of his daughter. On March 4^th, 1772, Will and Britt, who was enslaved by the Ten Broeck family, baptized their daughter Susannah. Normally separated by two miles, the church was the midway point where they could reunite as a family.

Two years after the birth of their daughter Susannah, Will and Britt welcomed a second child, Herry, into their family. Herry was baptized on June 26^th, 1774. While there are no known records about Herry, Will, or Britt after the baptisms, Susannah was eventually manumitted by the Ten Broeck family. Susannah’s children, Dinah, Susan, and Mary were manumitted alongside their mother in 1811, under steep conditions on their freedom. When their enslaver, Elizabeth Ten Broeck, died in 1813, the family was freed without condition.

*”servant” was used interchangeably with “slave” in the 18^th century

Protecting the Saratoga House

Drawing of Schuyler House, Schuylerville, New York
from 1887 by artist Ernest C. Peixotto.

Finally, we focus on the contents of a letter Philip Schuyler wrote to Governor George Clinton on April 17^th, 1778.

During the fall of 1777, the Battles of Saratoga tore through Philip Schuyler’s Saratoga estate. His home was burnt alongside much of his farmland, but, within weeks, Schuyler rebuilt his house. In a letter to Governor George Clinton, Schuyler wrote: “I do not however mean to bring away my Servants as I shall erect a picket Fort round my House and let them, if possible, keep it ….” Schuyler didn’t mention any enslaved people by name, but referred to a collective group of them as “Servants,” a common 18^th century phrase for enslaved people. Schuyler planned to erect a “Fort” around his house, which likely meant he wished to build a protective structure to guard it from an attack. Schuyler told Clinton that he would leave the enslaved people there in an attempt to protect the house.

It's unknown if the enslaved people were provided weapons while they were protecting the house. Perhaps they felt fear, but perhaps they also felt some freedom in not being watched by Schuyler. Regardless, these men and women were on the front lines of an attack, should one come—a huge weight for anyone to bear, let alone someone potentially fighting on behalf of property and freedom they didn’t own.