Welcome to the Museum of David Ruggles. Let’s take a journey back to the 1800’s, and learn about David Ruggles and the “Changes for Slavery!” He was a hidden voice because not a lot of people knew what David Ruggles did for African Americans. Our crew chose him because we wanted to learn more about what an abolitionist was and how he tried to abolish slavery. David Ruggles is a hero to us and all African Americans.

Welcome to our exhibit of David Ruggles. Our exhibit examines the influence of the Quaker Church in New York in the 1800s and how the Quakers supported and influenced his work.We were inspired by our chosen Hidden Voices individual, David Ruggles because of his grocery shop at One Cortlandt Street which was a circulating library and reading room for African Americans who were denied access to New York’s public libraries. We decided to research this topic after learning that his was the nation’s first black-owned bookstore, and there Ruggles sold anti-slavery publications until it was destroyed by a white mob.

Today we will tell the story of a hidden voice in the Abolitionist Movement. As you listen to his contributions, ask yourself, What if David Ruggles decided not to get involved in the abolitionist movement? What if he decided this fight was not his fight? How would things be different?

David Ruggles, an abolitionist of Equality and Freedom for all African Americans. With David Ruggles courage, bravery and determination of trying to end slavery, made him the most hated abolitionist. Throughout his life he helped and inspired many people to end slavery. He helped Frederick Douglass, who became a leading abolitionist, Sojouner Truth, who became a women’s rights activist, he inspired Henry Brown, and countless others to escape from slavery.

David Ruggles put his life on the line for the Freedom of his people. Even though he wasn’t enslaved, David Ruggles knew the mistreatment all enslaved people. He confronted slave catchers, saved slaves through the Underground Railroad, wrote on the abuse and unfairness slaves had in their everyday lives! David Ruggles once said, “Liberty is the word for me, above all, Liberty.”

Our exhibit explores what life was like for free black citizens during the 1800s. Through learning about David Ruggles, we became interested in knowing what day-to-day life was like for free black citizens, like himself, during his lifetime, including the enslaved men, women, and children he helped escape slavery to become free black citizens. Moreover, to us, our exhibit focuses on better understanding the equality, or lack thereof, in society throughout our country’s history, an important topic in our classroom.

Our exhibit revolves around the African Americans’ struggle for freedom and equality in the 1800’s in New York City. David Ruggles, our “Hidden Voice,” made an impact in the lives of all African Americans, whether born free, emancipated, or self-emancipated. Our journey on doing our research helped us understand more about slavery and abolitionism during the 1800s in New York City. As we did our research, we came to realize to see the big picture we had to research more than just David Ruggles, we had to see what made David Ruggles become David Ruggles. We also came to see ourselves in the history of this fight for freedom and equality because black people are still not fully equal or have the same rights as others. We were compelled to take this journey to find out how does the most famous abolitionist of his time end up as a “Hidden Voice”?

David Ruggles is still a “Hidden Voice” to other people, but to us, and hopefully now you, he’s no longer a “Hidden Voice”.