Rediscovering Weeksville a hidden gem in Brooklyn. Right before you stands the Weeksville Heritage Center. This incredible place tells the story of Weeksville one of America’s first free Black communities. Imagine a thriving 19th-century settlement. It flourished despite the challenges of its time. Here residents built schools churches and benevolent associations. They actively participated in the abolitionist movement.
Weeksville’s history began in 1838 when James Weeks an African American purchased land. This land became the heart of a remarkable community. The community included ministers teachers and other professionals. It even boasted New York state’s first female African-American physician and the city’s first African-American police officer. Weeksville was a place of resilience and innovation. It had its own churches school orphanage cemetery old age home and benevolent society. It even published one of the first African-American newspapers the Freedman’s Torchlight.
During the 1863 New York Draft Riots Weeksville provided refuge. Many African Americans fleeing violence in Manhattan found safety here. Many chose to resettle in Brooklyn. The community’s strength and unity shone through during this difficult period.
Weeksville remained largely forgotten until its rediscovery in 1968. James Hurley a local resident and researcher played a key role. He learned about Weeksville from a book. He along with Joseph Haynes an engineer and pilot conducted an aerial survey. They photographed the historic houses on Hunterfly Road. These houses were remnants of the colonial Hunterfly Road. This road was on the eastern edge of the 19th-century Weeksville settlement.
The rediscovery sparked a preservation effort. Dolores McCullough and Patricia Johnson students in a Pratt Neighborhood College workshop were instrumental. They helped establish the Society for the Preservation of Weeksville and Bedford Stuyvesant in 1970. This organization later became the Weeksville Heritage Center. The Society purchased the Hunterfly Road houses. They underwent rehabilitation in the 1980s and again after vandalism in the 1990s. A $3 million restoration in 2005 reopened the houses to the public. Each house showcases a different era of Weeksville’s rich history.
In 2013 a new $14 million expansion was completed. This added 19000 square feet of performance and educational space. It includes a cafe and a library. The expansion broadened the center’s reach to a wider community. In 2019 the center faced budget shortfalls. It launched a successful crowdfunding campaign. The city then designated Weeksville Heritage Center as part of its Cultural Institutions Group. This was a significant achievement for the center. It is the first new addition to the group in over 20 years. It’s also the first Black cultural center in Brooklyn to receive this designation.
As you stand here you can feel the legacy of resilience hope and community. The Weeksville Heritage Center isn’t just a museum. It’s a living testament to the strength and spirit of a remarkable community. It shows the enduring power of a people who built a life for themselves in the face of adversity.