An account of slavery in New York State, often thought to be a bastion of the antislavery movement, from the importation of blacks in the 17th century until its abolition 1841.
"McManus unfolds an aspect of slavery unfamiliar in its locale and untraditional in its operation. . . . This work is rewarding for its wealth of fresh findings."—American Historical Review
"McManus shows the role of the Negro in 'the largest and most important slave system in colonial times north of the Mason-Dixon line.' with special attention to the urban slave. . . . Certainly this highly readable account is an important contribution to our understanding of Northern Slavery. Thoroughly researched, clearly structured, admirably written, the book is a model for the writing of a topic in local and regional history."—New York Historical Society Quarterly
Edgar J. McManus is professor of history at Queens College and at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.
