
Brooklyn, NY – Members of the Brooklyn-wide anti-gentrification group Equality for Flatbush organized an emergency rally on August 20, 2019 to stop the demolition of the residence at 227 Duffield Street, the last standing Black History Landmark on Abolitionist Place in downtown Brooklyn.

227 Duffield St, located on Abolitionist Place in downtown Brooklyn, is the last known standing historic site in Brooklyn where well-known abolitionists lived and where Black people found freedom through the Underground Railroad.

Since the City’s downtown Brooklyn development plan demolished all other Duffield Street historic residences, 227 Duffield represents the last known standing property to continue the legacy of African American history of resistance in New York City and nationwide and should be preserved as a city landmark.

227 Duffield needs to landmarked and turned into a museum to preserve its important historical contribution to the fight against racism in the US.

BEFORE IT’S GONE // TAKE IT BACK: Documenting Brooklyn – Fighting Gentrification (B4G) is the Brooklyn-wide anti-gentrification campaign of Equality for Flatbush

© Erik McGregor – erikrivas@hotmail.com – 917-225-8963
Mona August 22, 2019
Thank you so much for writing about this. This is so so important. Urgent! Online & Call In Action to STOP a Black Brooklyn Landmark from being Demolished! #Save227Duffield updated 8/16/19
To get involved in the struggle to #Save227Duffield, please contact Equality for Flatbush : E4F at 646 820-6039 or B4G@equalityforflatbush.org
https://bit.ly/2Z9p5fu
https://docs.google.com/document/d/14XEa8oCYBJmFjLNdAevy4wc4jESOkhfRRHKWkci4I9U/edit?usp=sharing
Please Use these Hashtags: #Save227Duffield #BlackLandmarksMatter #BrooklynIsNotforSale #BlackHistoryMatters #PreserveBlackHistory
227 Duffield Street, located on Abolitionist Place in downtown Brooklyn, is the last known standing historic site in Brooklyn where well-known abolitionists lived and where Black people found freedom through the Underground Railroad. 227 Duffield needs to landmarked and turned into a museum to preserve its important historical contribution to the fight against racism in the US.
The demolition of 227 Duffield is imminent—unless WE STOP it! Every call, email, and tweet matters!
We are asking community members to contact Lisa Kersavage, Director of Landmark Preservation Commission:
Phone: 212-669-7817
Phone Script:
Please do not demolish 227 Duffield Street, located in Downtown Brooklyn
We need to landmark 227 Duffield, because it is well-documented that it was used as a meeting house for the abolitionist movement as well as a stop on the Underground Railroad.
We strongly believe that the site needs to be turned into a museum to preserve this important historic contribution to the fight against racism in the US.
Email; lkersavage@lpc.nyc.gov
Online form to email the Chair of the Landmark Preservation Commission: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/lpc/about/email-the-chair.page
Sample Email:
Hello,
I am writing to ask that you please not demolish 227 Duffield Street, located in Downtown Brooklyn.
We need to landmark 227 Duffield, because it is well-documented that it was used as a meeting house for the abolitionist movement as well as a stop on the Underground Railroad.
I strongly believe that the site needs to be turned into a museum to preserve this important historic contribution to the fight against racism in the US.
Thank you,
[Your name here]
Tweet at: @LisaKersavage
Sample Tweets:
To #Save227Duffield: Every Call, Email & Tweet at @LisaKersavage, Director of Landmark Commission Matters ! 212-669-7817 / lkersavage@lpc.nyc.gov Tell her : Pls do not demolish 227 Duffield Street ! We want it landmarked & turned into an Underground Railroad museum
Join the #Save227Duffield Selfie Campaign ! Please take a picture that demonstrates your support to #Save227Duffield and send it to @LisaKersavage
#BlackLandmarksMatter #BrooklynIsNotforSale #BlackHistoryMatters #PreserveBlackHistory
Dear @LisaKersavage Here’s coverage of the 7/25 emergency rally #Save227Duffield https://bit.ly/2ZerpSi Pls DO THE RIGHT THING ! #PreserveBlackHistory Do not demolish a site of #TheUnderGroundRailRoad. #BlackHistoryMatters #BlackLandmarkMatters #BrooklynIsNotforSale
@LisaKersavage Pls do not demolish Black history! Landmark #227DuffieldStreet and honor its role in the Underground Railroad & the abolitionist movement! #Save227Duffield #BlackLandmarksMatter #BrooklynIsNotforSale #BlackHistoryMatters #PreserveBlackHistory
Also please contact the Press Office for The Landmark Preservation Commission: lpcpressoffice@lpc.nyc.gov or 212-669-7938
2. We are asking community members to contact Letitia James, Attorney General of New York and ask her to:
Please support the struggle to stop the demolition of 227 Duffield Street in downtown Brooklyn
We need to landmark 227 Duffield, because it is well-documented that it was used as a meeting house for the abolitionist movement as well as a stop on the Underground Railroad.
We strongly believe that the site needs to be turned into a museum to preserve its important historic contribution to the fight against racism in the US.
Telephone: 212-416-6294
Twitter: @TishJames or @NewYorkStateAG
Sample Tweet: @TishJames @NewYorkStateAG Pls help #Save227Duffield, a stop on the Underground Railroad from being demolished! Please join the fight to preserve Black History! #227DuffieldStreet must be landmarked and turned into a museum. #BlackLandmarksMatter #BlackHistoryMatters
Email Form: https://ag.ny.gov/contact-attorney-general-letitia-james
3. We are asking community members to Tweet at Mayor Bill de Blasio, ask him to:
@NYCmayorsoffice @BillDeBlasio Pls help #Save227Duffield, a stop on the Underground Railroad, from being demolished! Please join the fight to preserve Black History! #227DuffieldStreet must be landmarked and turned into a museum. #BlackLandmarksMatter #BlackHistoryMatters
Other Ways You Can Support the Struggle to Stop the Demolition of 227 Duffield
Please Sign & Circulate the Petition WIDELY to stop the Demolition of Black Landmark #Save227Duffield : http://chng.it/NWh5wN9pWt #BlackLandmarksMatter #BrooklynIsNotforSale #BlackHistoryMatters #PreserveBlackHistory
Join the #Save227Duffield Selfie Campaign ! Please take a picture that demonstrates your support to #Save227Duffield and send it to @LisaKersavage
#BlackLandmarksMatter #BrooklynIsNotforSale #BlackHistoryMatters #PreserveBlackHistory
Emergency Rally at the 227 Duffield
Tuesday, August 20 6:30-8pm https://www.facebook.com/events/719941818459216/
To get involved in the struggle to #Save227Duffield, please contact Equality for Flatbush : E4F at 646 820-6039 or B4G@equalityforflatbush.org
BEFORE IT’S GONE // TAKE IT BACK: Documenting Brooklyn – Fighting Gentrification (B4G) is the Brooklyn-wide anti-gentrification campaign of Equality for Flatbush http://www.equalityforflatbush.org or http://www.beforeitsgone.co