From 1815 to 1825, New York's seaport reached national dominance. The Erie Canal, regular packet service to Liverpool, the city's control of the cotton trade, an influx of immigrants, and the steamboat led to this growth. Yet, in this popular engraving of South Street, ca. 1828, no blacks can be seen. Despite the boom, black workers lost out in competition with new immigrants for well-paying jobs as coopers, stevedores, and cartmen. Click on the image to zoom.

William J. Bennett, South Street from Maiden Lane, ca. 1828, reproduced collection New-York Historical Society. Close