SENECA VIllage suite
Writing the music and developing this project for the honoring and remembrance of the historic Seneca Village was a deeply emotional and spiritual experience. I had to travel back in time in my mind to try and imagine what it must have felt like to live in a time and place like this. Seneca village was probably like so many African American communities we know and love today. I wanted the music to capture the Joy, Love, pain, sadness and freedom these people must have felt and experienced. Although Seneca Village was all but erased from our History, enough of it still remains for this future generation to rebuild, reestablish and reform the things that made this great African American Society such a successful community.
SENECA VILLAGE SUITE
1825
SENECA VILLAGE SUITE was the first thriving prodominently African American afluent community in the United States and was founded in 1825 when 25 year old Andrew Williams bought the first three lots of the soon to be Seneca Village for $125. Shortly after Williams purchased his land, Epiphany Davis purchased 12 more lots for $578 right before AME Zion church purchased 6 more. This was the beginning of a thriving community that would be a self sustained and be a flurishing home to live in. It was located between 81st street and 89th street and was far north enough of downtown Manhattan to avoid the still very racist people of that time.
Unlike their morally bankrupt european brothers and sisters, German and Irish emmigrants also migrated to Seneca Village to live amongst the community. This made the village a modern society centuries ahead of its time and by the mid-1850's, Seneca Village consisted of more than 50 homes, three churches, burial grounds and a school for African American students. Unfortunately trajedy struck in 1853 when the city envoked emminent domain, forcing the people in that community to leave within 2 years time.
