Friends of Abolitionist Place
Brooklyn’s Bastion of Resistance Since 1850
227 Duffield Street
Situated in the heart of Downtown Brooklyn, the building was once home to a family of prominent abolitionists who were central figures in America’s antebellum anti-slavery movement. Harriet Lee and Thomas Truesdell owned the house from 1851-1863, at a time when Duffield Street was a hotbed of not just local abolitionist activity, but also the women’s suffrage movement.
Brooklyn’s local movement to support the liberation of formerly enslaved people centered on the churches on Duffield Street, including Bridge Street AME, Concord Baptist, and Plymouth Church. The Truesdells and their neighbors coordinated with these institutions, and their co-conspirators across the country, to help enslaved people reach freedom by any means necessary.
“Mama” Joy Chatel
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania July 28, 1947, Thelma Frances Monroe, also known as Mama Joy, was a community activist, cosmetologist and small business owner who led a grassroots movement to preserve the abolitionist history of downtown Brooklyn.
Mama Joy Sounded the Alarm Bell to Preserve Downtown Brooklyn’s Rich Black History
Most known for her tireless activism in the community, Mama Joy left behind a legacy of triumphs. In 2007, she succeeded in preserving her home against a NYC Economic Development Corporation’s plan to destroy her home via eminent domain. The EDC wanted to demolish the historic site to create a micro-park and underground parking lot.
Because of Mama Joy’s fierce advocacy, the home of prominent Abolitionists Thomas and Harriet Truesdell, still stands today.
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The work continues as we work to establish the Abolitionist Heritage Center