The Hudson River and the Black Suffrage Movement

In 1846, communities and organizers from the Hudson River Valley mounted the first voting rights protection efforts for African Americans by purchasing land in the Adirondack Mountains and founding free Black towns. The movement was the backbone of what would become the Underground Railroad, and it would directly influence radical resistance efforts like John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry. Because suffrage was tied to land ownership, preserving this history has become an important part of conservation efforts in the Hudson Valley.

Aaron Mair, pioneering environmental advocate, the first African American president of the Sierra Club, and Campaign Director of the Adirondack Council, will bring these stories and connections to life in a presentation for Black History Month. This event will be in-person, with limited capacity, and live-streamed on Facebook.