Colonialism, Enslavement and Middle Church
Middle Church exists in the middle of Lenapehoking, the homelands of Lenape and Delaware nations. We are also situated in the middle of a geography and history of colonial avarice and violence. Middle and all the Collegiate Churches descend from the Dutch Reformed Churches established and funded by the Dutch West India Company in Mannahatta in the seventeenth century. Below we share a brief sketch of Middle’s longer history in the seizure of Indigenous homelands, enslavement and violence toward Black and Indigenous peoples.
Pinpointed as a promising hub for extractive enterprises in the North American interior, transatlantic commerce, and as a strategic site for the expansion of Dutch political power, in the early seventeenth century, the Dutch West India Company used military, economic and legal tactics to assert Dutch claims over the lands and waters of the Hudson River watershed and its mouth at Mannahatta.
These North American continental practices were part of the broader effort of the States General of the United Netherlands to establish transatlantic dominance. Undergirding the empire-expanding, colony-building project along with its chauvinistic attitudes and dehumanizing practices was the Dutch Reformed Church. All DWIC Directors, who presided over the expulsion of Indigenous people from their homelands and the enslavement of African people in the colony, were members of the church. Church leaders themselves actively encouraged atrocity. For example, in 1628, Jonas Michaelius, the first DRC minister of New Amsterdam, created a plan to kidnap Lenape children from their families and communities to convert them. In 1664, Reverend Henricus Selyns boasted about the New Netherlands Church’s refusal to baptize Black children arguing that their parents “wanted nothing else than to deliver their children from bodily slavery, without striving for piety and Christian virtues.”[1] Evidently, “Christian virtues” for many Dutch Reformed Christians included enslavement and kidnapping.
The Middle Collegiate Reparations Task Force has identified at least 35 church members, CLERGY AND CONSISTORY who enslaved people.
Rather than ignore or minimize these truths...
Middle is committed to directing its resources, which are undeniably bound to stolen lands and labor, to advance social justice and to help repair and reestablish vital community-nourishing connections to people and place. Part of this work involves truthfully telling the stories of colonialism and enslavement that are the genesis of Middle Church’s existence.
Middle is committed to directing its resources, which are undeniably bound to stolen lands and labor, to advance social justice and to help repair and reestablish vital community-nourishing connections to people and place. Part of this work involves truthfully telling the stories of colonialism and enslavement that are the genesis of Middle Church’s existence.
This statement has been developed by the Reparations Task Force with contributions from our Black and Indigenous history research consultants, J.Georges and Anthony Trujillo.
[1] J. Franklin (John Franklin) Jameson, Narratives of New Netherland, 1609-1664, Original Narratives of Early American History (New York: Barnes & Noble, 1953), 126, 408.
[2] https://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/westind.asp accessed 8/29/2024
[3] J. Franklin (John Franklin) Jameson, Narratives of New Netherland, 1609-1664, Original Narratives of Early American History (New York: Barnes & Noble, 1953), 126, 408.
[4] Romney, New Netherland Connections, 195-197.
[5] Romney, New Netherland Connections, 195-197.
resources
The Middle Collegiate Church Reparations Task Force draws inspiration from the work of numerous scholars, activists, artists, and community members—especially Black and Indigenous voices. Below is a selection of key resources that have guided our efforts. While not exhaustive, we welcome your suggestions and recommendations at middlereparations@gmail.com.
Reading Material
- Agenda Towards Transformative Change for Racial Justice and Equality – UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
- “The Case for Reparations” by Ta-Nehisi Coates – The Atlantic
- Land Reparations & Indigenous Solidarity Toolkit – Resource Generation
- “Lenape & the Lenapehoking” – Events and exhibit at Brooklyn Public Library
- M4BL Reparations Now Toolkit – The Movement for Black Lives
- “Making Amends: The History of Reparations” – Reuters
- “Medical Reparations: A Resolution Paper” – The Repair Project
- “Reparations” – Cross Cultural Solidarity History Project
- “Reparations” – Racial Equity Tools
- Reparations Daily(ish) Substack – Ongoing updates on reparations initiatives
- Reparations in the United States Timeline – University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries
- “The Time for Healing Is Now” – National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition
- The Truth & Reconciliation Commission of Canada – Insights and learnings from Canada’s efforts
- Reparations 4 Slavery – Advocacy for reparations initiatives
- Reparations Narrative Lab – Centering stories of reparative justice
- “What Reparations Might Look Like for Indigenous Peoples” – Cheyenne Bearfoot
- “Why We Need Reparations for Black Americans” – The Brookings Institution
Current U.S. Reparations Efforts and Organizations to Support
- December 12th Movement – Advocating for reparations and racial justice in New York State.
- kinSHIFT – Supporting Indigenous sovereignty and reconciliation efforts.
- Manna-hatta Fund – Funding initiatives to support Indigenous communities and reparative justice.
- National African American Reparations Commission (NAARC) – Leading efforts to promote reparations for African Americans.
- NAARC’s Preliminary 10-Point Reparations Plan – A comprehensive framework for reparations in the U.S.
- N’COBRA: National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America – Advocating for reparations and equity for Black Americans.
These organizations and efforts are actively working to advance reparative justice across the United States.
Faith Communities and Reparations, Racial Justice, and Reconciliation
- “A Christian Call for Reparations” by Kelly Brown Douglas – Sojourners
- “Dismantling the Structures & Repairing the Damage of Racism in Minnesota” – The Minnesota Council of Churches
- “Faith Communities–Designing a Plan of Repair” – Reparations 4 Slavery
- “Racial Reconciliation, Healing, and Justice-Making” – The Episcopal Church
- Report on Slavery and Racism in the History of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary – Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
- “Sacred Ground: A Film-Based Dialogue Series on Race & Faith” – The Episcopal Church
- “Support for Reparations for African Americans” – The United Methodist Church
- Princeton Seminary & Slavery – Princeton Seminary’s historical research on its ties to slavery
These resources reflect how faith communities are confronting their historical roles in injustice and working toward reparations, racial justice, and reconciliation.
Middle Collegiate Church is recognized as a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to organizations with 501(c)(3) status may be tax deductible.