All around us in the Mid-Hudson Valley, landscapes and historic sites were shaped by New York’s two centuries of enslavement. Scattered throughout are places where courageous people who sought and won their freedom from slavery lived, worked, and worshipped. The Mid-Hudson Antislavery History Project, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is dedicated to uncovering this essential part of our past and bringing it into full public view. We conduct research, engage in public history and cultural programming, deliver lectures, and serve in other capacities to help citizens learn and appreciate the importance of this history and its continuing impact on today’s struggles for racial and social justice.

We ally with like-minded organizations to better understand and share the nature and consequences of slavery history in New York State and the surrounding area.

MHAHP is part of the governing bodies of both the Underground Railroad Consortium of New York State (URCNYS) and the Northern Slavery Collective (NorSC). In addition, we are a supporting member of the Poughkeepsie-based Celebrating the African Spirit (CAS).

We also collaborate with a variety of county and local historical societies and organizations to advance the study of local history, for example, the Putnam County Historical Society and the Dutchess County Historical Society (DCHS). In 2022, the DCHS awarded MHAHP the Helen Wilkinson Reynolds award “for the necessary and accurate pursuit of historical truth”.

MHAHP welcomes volunteers and supporters of all backgrounds and interests. For information about how to volunteer click here.