City Growth

Slavery was outlawed in New York in 1827, but due to its large population of slaves the transition was not exactly easy. In 1790 one in every five white households contained a slave [...] a rate of slave ownership higher than that existing in the states of Virginia or South Carolina (White 12). With such a high number of slave persons the road to their freedom would be a long and difficult journey.
In 1799, New York State passed legislation that ended slavery, but with this came exceptions that clearly kept power in the hands of slave holders. Under the law all children born from a slave woman after the date of July 4, 1799 were free, but men were indentured servents until the age of twenty-eight and females were such until twenty-five (White 13). Unfortunetly all those already in slavery would remain until another law was passed in 1817 and even then they did not recieve their freedom until July 4, 1827 (White 13). Many slaves tried to purchase their freedom and that of their families, but were decieved or lied to to keep them in captivity. However, the free black population in New York City was increasing, making it much more difficult to keep slaves contained.