New York's Anti-Abolition Riots in 1834

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During the early 19th century Bowery Theatre, located in the Bowery Neighbourhood in Manhattan, New York City, was a location that was designed for musical concerts and performing arts. The Theatre was mainly active from 1820s until the 1840s. The Theatre had first burned down in the later part of 1830, after which, Thomas Hamblin an actor, had become the sole theatre manager. After Bowery Theatre was rebuilt, the English-born George Percy Farren had joined the Theatre as a stage manager and actor. The Theatre had experienced significant successes after its ventures into the Shakespearean works such as Henry VI and Hamlet. However, the Bowery Theatre became subject to controversy and riot and one of the key affected locations during the New York’s Anti-Abolitionist Riots in 1834. Word broke out that Farren had fired an American actor and made disrespectful comments about Americans, the situation became even tenser when it was found that Farren was strongly in support of the abolitionist movement, and the end to slavery, this did not resonate well with the anti-abolitionists.

2. African Society for Mutual Relief Hall (1834)

The African Society for Mutual relief was officially established at 42 Orange Street (modern day Baxter Street) during the 1820s, after Juliet Toussaint donated enough money for the Society to be able to buy the plot of land. The Society formed as soon it became legal for African-Americans residing in New York to organise. In 1810 the New York Legislature granted the Mutual Relief Societies the petition to become the first African American Association; this was a significant achievement as it was the first formal African-American establishment. Prior to the establishment of the African Society Mutual Relief Hall in 1808, the African-American community were deprived of several essential necessities such as education, religious commemorations, and even burial allowances. The community’s most vulnerable people, who included the sick, the widowed and the orphans suffered even more. The African Society for Mutual relief aimed to deal with the issues faced by the African-American community.

3. Chatham Street Chapel (1834)

Chatham Street Chapel was first opened as Chatham Garden Theatre, or else known as Chatham Theatre in May 1824, located at the Chatham Gardens in Lower Manhattan, New York City. During the early period of the Theatre’s activity, the structure was mainly involved in displaying performances and musical concerts. However, things soon changed at the Chapel when in the early 1830s the Theatre began to be used as a meeting place for the abolitionists. Chatham Garden Theatre was soon converted into the Presbyterian Chapel by the evangelist Charles Grandison Finney. As a result of the anti-slavery meetings that took place and the strong abolitionist sentiment that was advocated at Chatham Street Chapel, the location became victim to riots and was significantly targeted in July 1834, during the New York Anti-Slavery riots.

4. Arthur Tappan's store (1834)

Arthur Tappan was an influential evangelical and a successful silk merchant, who had moved from Boston to New York City in 1815. A few years later, his brother Lewis Tappan had joined him in New York City, and soon they had opened up their store, located on Pearl and Hanover Street, which imported silk. Whilst the store was under construction, the town had adopted and adapted the Greek revival architecture style, and formed the structure from Maine granite. The store itself had suffered several different events during the 19th century which include the 1834 riots and the 1835 Great Fire, which completely destroyed the building. 1836 Tappan had invested in the rebuild of the old store in the same location, and the business did see a few years of success, after which though Tappan became bankrupt and had to surrender all his property, leaving perhaps only its foundation to the newer buildings.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

New York's Anti-Abolition Riots in 1834

Created by Lucinda Hart on November 9th 2022, 10:48:06 pm.

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In the year of 1834, anti-slavery campaigns and actions were taken to a new height, this had caused significant discontent amongst the anti-abolitionist supporters, who coordinated their actions and caused several riots at different locations throughout New York City in early July 1834. This tour shall take you through some of the key locations that were stormed by rioters and experienced significant amounts of damage, only leaving small remnants of its past.

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New York's Anti-Abolition Riots in 1834

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