Presented by Susan Stessin-Cohn and Ashley Hurlburt-Biagini
In Defiance documents 607 fugitives from enslavement in the 18th and 19th-century Hudson River Valley region of New York State through the reproduction and transcription of 512 archival newspaper notices for runaway slaves placed by their enslavers or agents. Also included are notices advertising captures, sales, offers of purchase, and selected runaway notices from outside the Hudson River Valley region. Nine tables analyze the data in the 512 notices for freedom seekers from Hudson Valley enslavers, and the book includes a glossary, indexes of names, locations, and subjects, 36 illustrations, 5 maps from the 18th and 19th centuries, and a foreword by A.J. Williams-Myers, Black Studies Department, SUNY at New Paltz.
Co-author Susan Stessin-Cohn is a professional genealogist, she has co-curated several exhibits focusing on the history of the Hudson Valley and is currently the Historian for the Town of New Paltz, New York and serves as chair of the New Paltz Historical Society.
Co-author Ashley Hurlburt-Biagini is the former Manager of Collections and Archives at Historic Huguenot Street. She currently works with Jones Family Farms on web design and fundraising. With co-author Susan Stessin-Cohn she has curated various exhibits focusing on 19th century topics.
