Medicine and Resilience in a Free Black community in New Jersey

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Archaeology of Marginalization and Resilience in the Northeast", at the 2024 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Located on what was considered “undesirable” land, a community founded by formerly enslaved Africans in the mid-19th century was able to thrive in the last northern state to abolish slavery. This paper will utilize the historical record as well as findings from a recent archeological survey to examine the community of Dunkerhook, located in Bergen County, NJ and members who contributed to its self-sufficiency and resilience. Special focus will be given to a woman whose leadership and medicinal skills aided in the growth of this community and combatted the social, economic, physical and psychological deterioration that so often plagues marginalized communities.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2024   •
• Archaeology of Marginalization and Resilience in the Northeast

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow