Edward Dugger, our director of college counseling and an English teacher, arranged for his classes to visit the Joseph Lloyd Manor in Suffolk County. Built in 1767, the house is known because one of the first published African American writers in the nation’s history, Jupiter Hammon, was enslaved there.
Students explored the house and discussed Hammon’s life and work. They also provided feedback on how to enhance the visitor experience at the site, as part of the Jupiter Hammon Project, sponsored by Preservation Long Island. “There were really powerful and thoughtful discussions about the complexity of enslavement in the 18th century and trying to grapple with the mindset of the time,” said Lauren Brincat, Preservation Long Island curator. “It was great and I hope this is something we can do at the house moving forward.”
Photography by Andres Lopez