Did you know that one of the earliest published African American authors was born on Long Island in 1711 and that he survived four 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–ca.1806) wrote powerfully about the social and moral conflicts slavery raised in the newly formed United States.
Through a series of three virtual public roundtables and supplemental Q & A sessions 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. A comprehensive report will be shared summarizing what was learned during the public roundtable phase of the project.
Roundtable #1: Long Island in the Black Atlantic World

In partnership with Weeksville Heritage Center (Brooklyn)
WATCH August 15, 2020 webinar recording
Roundtable #2: The Voice of Jupiter Hammon

In partnership with Suffolk County Historical Society (Riverhead)
WATCH September 19, 2020 webinar recording
Roundtable #3: Confronting Slavery at Joseph Lloyd Manor

In partnership with Lloyd Harbor Historical Society
(Huntington)
WATCH October 24, 2020 webinar recording
Literary Landmark Event
On October 17th, 2020, Jupiter Hammon’s 309th birthday, United for Libraries and Empire State Center for the Book recognized Joseph Lloyd Manor, as a National Literary Landmark! Watch the ceremony!
Learn More
The most comprehensive volume on Hammon’s works to date, The Collected Works of Jupiter Hammon carefully reconstructs the historical, political, social, and religious contexts that shaped his essays and poems throughout the late eighteenth century.

Explore some of the fascinating people and places in Jupiter Hammon’s world with our interactive story map (click on the image below):
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:
Charleen Francis
Dr. David Byer-Tyre
Denice Evans-Sheppard
Edward Dugger
Dr. Georgette Grier-Key
Irene Moore
Joan McGee
Julia Keiser
Melisa Chioma Emeghebo Rousseau
Zenzelé Cooper
Jupiter Hammon Project Sponsors:
DeLaCour Family Foundation
Lloyd Harbor Historical Society