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The Black Village Beneath Central Park: The Story of Seneca Village
Beneath the beauty of Central Park lies the buried history of Seneca Village—a thriving 19th-century Black community of homeowners, churches, schools, and families. Built on land they owned and later taken by the city, its story is one of dignity, displacement, and remembrance.

Obsidian Guide
May 410 min read


Debi Thomas: The Woman Who Skated Into History and Kept Going
Debi Thomas carried impossible expectations onto the Olympic ice—and still made history. A world champion, Stanford student, Olympic bronze medalist, and future orthopedic surgeon, she became the first Black athlete to win a Winter Olympic medal, proving her legacy was always bigger than gold.

Obsidian Guide
May 46 min read


Andrew Williams: The Young Black Man Who Helped Build Seneca Village
Andrew Williams was only about 25 when he purchased three lots in upper Manhattan in 1825. On rocky, undeveloped land, he saw more than property—he saw possibility. His bold act of ownership helped lay the foundation for Seneca Village, a thriving Black community later erased by Central Park.

Obsidian Guide
May 48 min read
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