Mother’s Touch™

Half Hollow High School Students visit Sylvester Manor…..Last Week I was invited by Juanita Simpson a teacher at Half Hollow Hills HS in Dix Hills, NY to tour the Sylvester Manor Educational Farm in Shelter Island with her students from the African-American Student Organization Club and One World Youth Organization club. In all the years that I have lived in Sag Harbor, I was completely unaware of this Plantation that is filled with such history of the first black people who were brought to Shelter Island as slaves to work on the Sylvester Plantation.  Ms. Simpson, 2 additional chaperones and 40 students predominately African-American were the largest group of African-Americans to ever visit the Sylvester Manor which occupies nearly 83.5 acres of land. The property  is massive and breathtakingly beautiful.

The Story that is told on the Sylvester Manor website reads as follows: The Sylvester’s were slaveholders from 1653 until 1820, near the end of slavery in New York in 1827. The first three enslaved people probably arrived with Grizzell Sylvester from Newport upon her marriage to Nathaniel sometime in July of 1653. Others probably came from West Africa through Barbados, where the Sylvester’s had two sugar plantations. Highly skilled workers, Africans and African-Americans were indispensable on the farm working as blacksmiths, coopers, horse and livestock trainers, dairymaids and domestics.

Slavery in New England operated differently from that in the South or in the West Indies, where four-season crops, such as sugar, required hundreds of enslaved people. Numbers in New England were fewer — 24 people, including 13 children, comprised Nathaniel and Grizzell’s African work force — and tasks and workload varied from season to season. They worked with Manhansetts and members of other Native tribes, who, as their traditional way of life began to vanish, turned to laboring for rum and trade goods. Nathaniel and Grizzell were the largest slaveholders in New England in their day. http://sylvestermanor.org

It was fascinating to tour the home in which slaves actually lived, and more remarkable is that the family has kept much of the home in its original form. The wallpaper is original, (can you believe that) the living quarters where the slaves lived has not been touched and much of the original limited furnishings were still there.

It brought tears to my eyes when I visualized how torturest this must have been for them. The day I visited it was a beautiful 70 degree day and only 8-10 were allowed upstairs in the slave quarters at a time, there were no windows opened and it was sweltering, imagine 30-35 people living in that space. In the summer it was brutal and in the winter it was freezing.

I was enthralled with this history, but more-so with how insanely cruel the slaves were treated, many of the slaves were subjected to such harsh treatment, like those that could not sleep in the main house slept where they worked all-throughout the year…Winter-Fall-Spring & Summer, it was heart-breaking to hear the stories. As we left the 3rd floor we were told about the staircases, I could not help but notice the differences between both steps, one felt like I was climbing a hill and we were holding on for dear life walking down those steps the other seemed as if I were gliding down the steps without needing to hold on to the railing.

The students of Half Hollow Hills were equally pained to hear the cruel treatment of kids their own age many many years ago, simply because of the color of their skin. The students took nothing for granted on this day they were like a sponge absorbing the information. What a wonderful opportunity Ms. Simpson shared with her students. These students were some of the most well-behaved  teenagers I have ever been around.

This was my first time meeting all of them and they were so talkative, inspiring, engaging and so inquisitive.  I had a wonderful time with all of them. Many people usually pre-judge African American teenagers unfairly and when they are faced with kids that are so respectfully it almost surprises them. I am not surprised, they were amazing to be around for the day, after all this is not a mandatory club they participate in, this is a club that they chose to be part of. These my friends are our leaders of the future, in this group you might just be looking at a future President of the United States of America, there is no doubt in my mind.

After touring the house we walked to what is believed to be the burial ground for many of the slaves that died. There are no tombstones to let us know who they are, a fence has been built to symbolize the resting place for them.The students walked hand-and-hand to the grave site, I can visualize how they would have walked together in unity to bury one of their own. Again it touched me to see how positive the students were and how willing they were to oblige and hold hands without the mumbling beneath their voice on why they needed to do this. These young people were in the moment, silent, respectful and thirsty to hear the history.

After hearing a brief history of the burial ground some of the student performed for their fellow students as a tribute to the day and to their ancestors. One recited a beautiful poem, others performed a step-dance and a modern dance that just took my breath away.

Click Here to see more images Sylvester Manor Half Hollow Hills High School Students

I cannot wait to take my daughters and their friends on this tour, I only caught the second part, so I am very anxious to see the full tour. Thank you Moira Doyle, Sara Gordon, Georgette Grier-Key (Executive Director from Eastville Community) and Juanita Simpson for inviting me. The students stopped by Conca D’Oro in Sag Harbor to pick up pizza and for an evening picnic at Long Beach reminiscing on the days activities. The Day had come to an end and it was time to board their school bus for a long drive home, but I am sure this will be a day that they all will remember for the rest of their lives. Thank You Half Hollow Students for allowing me to spend the day with all of you.