Arch. | Slaves Labor
Slave Lobar
A group of slaves in front of the US Capitol (Public Domain via Wikipedia Commons)
When visiting historical places in America, remember that slaves and free Blacks contributed in the following ways:
1. – Selkirk Farm, located east of Bingham on Old Cashua Ferry Road, was built in 1858. A slave named Case built the original portion of the house. [Read More | Also Here ]
2. – Isaiah Wimbush, a slave artisan, designed and built Windsor Hall, the oldest landmark in Greenville, Georgia. [ Read More ]
3. – Enslave artisan Jamesof Virginia was sent to Alabama to construct three spiral staircases for the Watkins-Moore-Grayson mansion. [ Read More | Also Here ]
4. – Charles, a free African-American carpenter, woodworker, and mason, contracted with Robin de Logny in 1787 to build Destrehan Plantation in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. [ Read More ]
5. – “More recently, the evidence has shown that the porch was imported from West Africa. Slaves brought from West Africa experienced the same climate in South Carolina, Mississippi and New Orleans as in their native home. ” Click Here to Continue Reading More
6. – Black labor built Monticello and other homes. [ Read More ]
7. – The White House Was, in Fact, Built by Slaves: Along with the Capitol and other iconic buildings in Washington, D.C. to know more about this Click Here.
8. – In 2009, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House at the time, stated the following about the construction of the US Capitol: “The Capitol was built by slaves,” Pelosi said. “Today, I want to talk about the fact that it’s so appropriate that, though long overdue, this Capitol Visitors Center is ready for 2009, which is the 200th anniversary, the bicentennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, the great emancipator.” [ Read More ]
9. –To know the history of Trinity Church in Lower Manhattan, New York City, and the use of slave labor Click Here and Also Here.
10. – “Slaves constructed Fort Amsterdam and its successors along the Battery. They built the wall from which Wall Street gets its name. They built the roads, the docks, and most of the important buildings of the early city – the first city hall, the first Dutch and English churches, Fraunces Tavern, the city prison and the city hospital.” To continue Reading Click Here and also [ Click Here | and | Here ]
11. – Philip Reid, an enslaved master craftsman and artisan, worked on the casting of the Statue of Freedom, which is now located on top of the Capitol dome of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. [ Click Here | Read More | Also Here ]
12. – Horace King, a master bridge-builder, designed and constructed bridges in Alabama and Mississippi. [ Click Here ]
In the Caribbean, remember that slaves built or helped build the following:
1. – “Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park is an outstanding, well-preserved example of 17th- and 18th-century military architecture in a Caribbean context. Designed by the British and built by African slave labour. . .”– UNESCO
2. – “The Palace of Sans Souci, the buildings at Ramiers and, in particular, the Citadel serve as universal symbols of liberty, being the first monuments to be constructed by black slaves who had gained their freedom.” – UNESCO
They also contributed to the rich architectural history of India.
1. – Malik Sandal, an Ethiopian and one-time slave, became one of the most important architects in South India. One of his designs was this funerary complex, the Ibrahim Rauza, built after 1597. [See Here]
2. – Sidi Saeed, or Sidi Saiyyed, an Abyssinian, built Sidi Sayyid Mosque. An inscription on this mosque reads, “Sidi Saeed Mosque C.A.D. 1572 This Mosque was built by Sidi Saeed, an Abyssinian in the service of Rumi Khan. . .” [ Read More ]