ReImagine Lefferts
Prospect Park Alliance has launched ReImagine Lefferts, an initiative to re-envision the mission and programming of the Lefferts Historic House museum to recognize its role as a site of dispossession and enslavement, and explore the stories of the Indigenous people of Lenapehoking whose unceded ancestral lands the house rests upon and the Africans who were enslaved by the Lefferts family.
The Alliance seeks to engage the public in a thoughtful dialogue about the legacy of enslavement and the exploitation of marginalized communities, as well as conduct scholarly research into the people who lived and worked the land. The goal is to create programs and exhibits that bring together people of all ages and backgrounds around challenging issues of history and identity.
By centering the narratives at the museum on those that are underrepresented in the telling of American history, we hope that the visitor experience will become even more reflective of the Brooklyn community, providing a safe space for dialogue about our collective past and contemporary times. With ReImagine Lefferts, the Alliance seeks to address the legacy of enslavement and oppression in New York, while also highlighting stories of triumph, resilience, and joy within underrepresented communities.
To accomplish this work, the Alliance is engaging historians, scholars and universities to provide robust research and new source material for educational programming; collaborating with museum professionals, cultural organizations and artists to create content that will support the museum’s new focus; and deepening our relationship with the communities near Lefferts through active conversation and outreach.
Interested in Reimagine Lefferts? Share your opinions in our online questionnaire that will help us shape the museum’s future.
