Name: She-Merchants, Sachems, and Slaves: Women in Colonial New York
Start: 2025-03-27T18:00:00-04:00
End: 2025-03-27T19:00:00-04:00
Location: The Van Cortlandt House Museum

She-Merchants, Sachems, and Slaves: Women in Colonial New York

Learn about women’s rights (or lack thereof) in Munsee, Iroquois, African, Dutch, and English culture.
About this Event

New York was one of the most diverse of the thirteen colonies, thanks to its Dutch colonial roots. Racial and religious diversity meant that colliding cultures had different ideas of how to treat women. In this talk by historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson, you will learn about women’s rights (or lack thereof) in Munsee, Iroquois, African, Dutch, and English culture, and how enslaved women’s rights changed over time. Learn about women’s roles in everyday life, uprisings, and war. Meet individual women like Dutch she-merchant Margaret Hardenbroeck De Vries Philipse, Esopus sachem Mamanuchqua, Jewish merchant Rebecca Gomez, Revolutionary War soldier Deborah Sampson, and more.

Sarah Wassberg Johnson is the education and programs manager at Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site. She has an MA in public history from the University at Albany.
This talk will be offered both in-person and online. Details for online registration to follow. Ticket sales for this hybrid event will open on February 27, 2025.

In-person admission is $5/ person.

Accessibility:

This in-person event will be held in the museum's educational space, which is accessed using stairs. A 360-degree tour of the museum is available in the wheelchair/ mobility device accessible Welcome Center.

Language:

This program will be delivered in English.

Getting here:

Public Transportation:

Subway: #1 to 242nd Street Station, then walk north on Broadway to the tree-lined pedestrian path leading into the park.
Bus: Bx9 to West 246th Street and Broadway, then walk into the park on the tree-lined pedestrian path leading into the park.
BxM3 Express Bus to 246th Street and Broadway, then walk into the park on the tree-lined pedestrian path leading into the park.
Metro-North Hudson River Line to Marble Hill Station, transfer to the Bx9 bus or #1 subway as above.

By Car:

VCHM is located at 246th & Broadway within Van Cortlandt Park.

Address for GPS: 6036 Broadway, Bronx, NY

Parking:
You can park in Van Cortlandt Park's free parking lot, which is a 5 minute walk on park trails from the museum () or you can pay for metered street-parking on Broadway (). Please be advised that there is no lighting on the path from the golf course parking lot to the museum.