Jupiter Hammon Project

Did you know that one of the earliest published African American authors was born on Long Island in 1711 and that he survived three generations of enslavement? His name was Jupiter Hammon. 

The Jupiter Hammon Project is a major initiative to develop a more relevant and equitable interpretation of Joseph Lloyd Manor, one of Preservation Long Island’s historic houses and a site that enslaved generations of people of African descent. While enslaved at the Manor, Jupiter Hammon (1711–before 1806) wrote powerfully about the social and moral conflicts slavery raised in the newly formed United States.

Jupiter Hammon Project Roundtables

Through a series of three virtual public roundtables conducted during the late summer and early fall of 2020, Preservation Long Island brought together renowned scholars and professionals with local residents, descendant communities, and other stakeholders to explore the legacy of slavery on Long Island and the life of Jupiter Hammon. Please visit our Vimeo channel for content produced by Preservation Long Island for the Jupiter Hammon Project.

Read the Final Report

Watch Malik Work’s Interpretation of “An Essay on Slavery”

Learn More

Help Us Tell the Full Story

Your contribution to the Jupiter Hammon Project will help us to expand interpretive programming at the 18th-century Joseph Lloyd Manor to encourage more rigorous and relevant encounters with Jupiter Hammon’s story and the legacy of enslavement on Long Island.

Support the Jupiter Hammon Project

Preservation Long Island thanks the following sponsors and advisory council members for supporting the Jupiter Hammon Project:

Jupiter Hammon Project Advisory Council:

Jupiter Hammon Project Sponsors: