Reformer Gerrit Smith | Searching for Timbuctoo

Gerrit Smith (1797-1874) was a wealthy philanthropist from upstate New York who used his wealth and connections to promote a variety of 19^th century reform movements. Through this video and primary source exercise, students will learn about Smith’s background and examine the motivations behind his proposal to distribute plots of land to Black men in New York State.

This resource is intended as a companion to “Black Communities in the Adirondacks | Searching for Timbuctoo,” which provides an overview of the Adirondack settlement in North Elba sometimes known as “Timbuctoo” and includes an 8-minute video and background essay.

NOTE: This resource contains language in the support materials that is either representative of the time in which it was spoken or has evolved beyond its original use and is considered by modern standards of taste to be outdated.