The Lives of Enslaved People through the Objects They Left Behind

            
Information about the lives of enslaved people in New York is too often missing from the written record or was relayed by those who enslaved them. Archaeology, however, can provide insight into the daily life, values, and traditions of enslaved people. Join Dr. Michael Lucas as he explores how artifacts excavated at the 18th-century John Bogart House site in Albany provide insight into enslaved individuals and how they claimed some power and control over their own lives through the manipulation of material objects.

After a brief presentation on the John Bogart House archaeology, Dr. Lucas will be joined by Cordell Reaves, Travis Bowman, Matt Kirk, and Lavada Nahon for a conversation on how we can interpret the lives of enslaved people otherwise absent from the historical record through material culture. 

Panel participants include:

Michael Lucas, Curator of Historical Archaeology, New York State Museum
Travis Bowman, Historic Preservation Program Coordinator
Matt Kirk, Education Manager, Hartgen Archaeological Associates
Lavada Nahon, Interpreter of African American History NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation
Cordell Reaves, Project Manager of Education, NYS Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation