Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site and the Friends of Philipse Manor Hall are pleased to host historian Peter Bunten for “Aspects of Emancipation: Quakers, War, and Runaways,” a talk about slavery and freedom in New York State on Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. This event is accessible in-person at Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site (29 Warburton Ave. Yonkers, NY) and online via YouTube Live.
The talk will examine three iterations of the effort by enslaved people to gain their freedom in 1700s Westchester County. Quakers in the eastern part of the county were under pressure from Quakers meetings north of them and from their own consciences, as a steady stream of Freedom seekers moved through the area. The Philipsburg Proclamation during the Revolutionary War both put pressure on Patriot slaveowners and gave new incentive to enslaved men to break out of their bonds and join the British war effort. And throughout the entire 18th century, scores of enslaved men, women and children took the momentous step to free themselves. These “aspects of emancipation” shed light on the risks and opportunities facing enslaved people during this period.
Peter Bunten is Executive Director of the Mid-Hudson Antislavery History Project, located in Dutchess County, NY. Peter is the current Vice President of the Underground Railroad Consortium of New York State and a Trustee of the Dutchess County Historical Society. Before his retirement in 2018, Mr. Bunten was the Education Manager for Historic Hudson Valley. He has a Master’s degree in Historical Studies from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County with an emphasis on Public History.
Tickets for the in-person lecture are $6 for adults, $3 for seniors and students, and free for Friends of Philipse Manor Hall members. Pre-registration is recommended but not required. To register, call 914-965-4027 or email philipsemanorhall@parks.ny.gov. Virtual access is free via the Philipse Manor Hall YouTube channel.