Press Release

For Immediate Release: October 22, 2024
Contact: lpcpressoffice@lpc.nyc.gov, 212-669-7938

LPC Designates the Jacob Day residence, a Rare Surviving 19th Centure Site with Direct Links to New York City's Abolitionist History

Brick Row House in Greenwich Village Served as Residence and Place of Business for Jacob Day, a Prominent 19th Century Black Business Owner and Abolitionist

New York – Today, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) voted unanimously to designate the Jacob Day Residence as an individual landmark, noting its architectural, historical, and cultural significance.

A three-story Greek Revival-style brick row house located at 50 West 13th Street in Greenwich Village, the Jacob Day Residence was built around 1845 and owned and used from 1857-1884 as a residence and place of business by Jacob Day, a prominent Black caterer, property owner, and abolitionist who later became a leading advocate for voting rights and economic opportunities for the Black community.

"Building a better future starts with first understanding and reconciling with our past," said First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer. "Within Greenwich Village at the Jacob Day Residence, we have a tangible connection to a Black abolitionist who helped fight for freedom and civil rights. To honor the bravery and boldness at the Jacob Day Residence, the Landmarks Preservation Commission is taking a critical step in designating it as a landmark, ensuring that all New Yorkers are aware of the history that lives within our city." 

"The Jacob Day Residence is an incredibly rare surviving 19th century site with direct links to a Black abolitionist, and it is an important reminder of the role New York City's Black community played in the fight for freedom and social justice," said Landmarks Preservation Commission Chair Sarah Carroll. "This site shines a light on the bravery and determination of those who risked their lives to fight injustice. Today's designation reflects LPC's ongoing commitment to recognizing, protecting, and celebrating places of Black historical and cultural significance, and will ensure this important historic site is protected for generations to come."

"I strongly support the designation of 50 West 13th Street as a city landmark, which historically was a hub of civil rights advocacy and the residence of two trailblazing New Yorkers, Jacob Day and Sarah Smith Tompkins Garnet. A century later, the building became a hub for artistic performances and holds a rich cultural heritage," said New York City Councilmember Carlina Rivera. "The unique design, civil rights history, and cultural contributions associated with this building make it a prime candidate for preservation. I commend the Commission for voting in support of the designation of 50 West 13th Street as a landmark because of its powerful historical and cultural significance."

"Today, we honor and preserve the Jacob Day Residence at 50 West 13th Street as a cherished landmark, recognizing its pivotal role in our city's rich history," said New York City Councilmember Erik Bottcher. "This building stands as a testament to its significant contributions to the abolitionist movement and its vibrant legacy as a theatre space in the 20th century. By safeguarding this storied site, we celebrate its enduring spirit and ensure that its legacy lives on to educate and inspire future generations. I would like to thank the LPC as well as the work of Village Preservation in achieving this landmark designation."

"We look forward to working with the LPC to preserve this historic property and with their help, returning the property to productive use", said a representative of 50 West 13th Street LLC. 

New York City played an important role in the effort to abolish slavery nationwide, and to assist those seeking to escape it. Abolitionists engaged with the anti-slavery movement through political and religious activism or by housing freedom seekers as part of Underground Railroad networks. Before the Civil War and national emancipation, Manhattan was home to more than 10,000 free Black residents and a dedicated community of abolitionists from all races and social classes. With its population concentrated below 34th Street, anti-slavery and Underground Railroad activities took place across Lower Manhattan.  

Jacob Day was one of the city's wealthiest and most successful Black entrepreneurs of this era – and a leading voice against slavery at a time when abolitionism was a dangerous activity for Black individuals. Despite the risks, Jacob Day was a member of the National Anti-Slavery Society and a prominent member of Abyssinian Baptist Church, renowned for its support for abolition and the national Civil Rights movement. Catering was one of the few avenues for business ownership open to members of the Black community during this period, and Day was a member of the Caterer's Club, as well as a member of the Freedman's Bank, which was founded after the Civil War to help improve the economic prospects of African Americans.

The building at 50 West 13th Street was both Jacob Day's home and housed his catering business, located on the ground floor and basement level. He rented apartments and rooms on the building's upper two floors to other members of the Black community, which included prominent educator, abolitionist and suffragist Sarah J. S. Tompkins Garnet, who lived at 50 West 13th Street from the 1860s to 1874, during which time she served as one of the first Black principals of a New York City public school, (Former) Colored School No. 4, which LPC designated as an individual landmark in May 2023.

More information about other landmarks associated with New York City's rich abolitionist history can be found on LPC's interactive story map, New York City and the Path to Freedom, and via LPC's interactive audio tour, More Than A Brook: Brooklyn Abolitionist Heritage Walk. More information about the landmarks and historic districts that illustrate the experiences and achievements of New York's Black community is available on LPC's interactive story map, Preserving Significant Places of Black History.

In 1959, 50 West 13th Street was renovated to include a theater in the basement and a theater school on the first floor. Among other groups, the theater featured the groundbreaking Afro-American Folklore Troupe, who held regular weekly shows in the building during their temporary engagement at 50 West 13th Street, performing works by well-known Black writers including James Weldon Johnson, Gwendolyn Brooks, Countee Cullen, Leroi Jones, and Langston Hughes. In 1972, the site became home to one of New York's longest-running "Off-Off Broadway" theaters, the 13th Street Repertory Company, founded by Edith O'Hara.

Images: Designation photos of the Jacob Day Residence can be found here: https://app.box.com/s/och23f4q5kuw3f70tzoht33rgk1hzztm

About the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC)

The Landmarks Preservation Commission is the mayoral agency responsible for protecting and preserving New York City's architecturally, historically, and culturally significant buildings and sites. Since its creation in 1965, LPC has granted landmark status to more than more than 38,000 buildings and sites, including 1,464 individual landmarks, 123 interior landmarks, 12 scenic landmarks, and 157 historic districts and extensions in all five boroughs. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/landmarks and connect with us at www.facebook.com/NYCLandmarks and www.twitter.com/nyclandmarks.