Sag Harbor's Eastville Community Historical Society and Plain Sight Project Continue Their Collaboration

The Plain Sight Project, which has sought to identify and tell the stories of the many Black people who were enslaved on the East End, is collaborating this month with the Eastville Community Historical Society to present “Forgetting To Remember,” an exhibition that provides an overview of the institution of slavery and its impact on the East End.

The exhibit was first displayed last February at the Sag Harbor Cinema, which has also been partnering with the Plain Sight Project, but it has been expanded and also includes works by Sag Harbor artist Michael Butler.

Butler was initially commissioned to paint a portrait of David Hempstead Sr., who was enslaved in Southold. Given his freedom, Hempstead went on to become the manager of the farm at Sylvester Manor on Shelter Island and the owner of his own 90-acre farm on the island.

Hempstead also is the subject of the short documentary, “Forgotten Founders: David Hempstead Sr.,” which was directed by Sam Hamilton and Julian Alvarez, and will be shown this Sunday, July 16, at the Sag Harbor Cinema.

In preparing to paint his portrait, Butler, who describes himself as a narrative folk artist, said he first studied the clothing of the time, and added a timeline around the portrait, depicting Hempstead’s family and other scenes from his life.

Butler was later asked to paint two more portraits, this time of two men who escaped bondage, based on descriptions that appeared in runaway slave ads.

“We don’t like to use term ‘runaway,’” Butler said, “because it implies they were naughty children.”

One painting depicts Crank, who was said to have fled his master to be with his enslaved wife and infant daughter. He later returned to his master, Abraham Corey, who manumitted him and he lived out his days on Shelter Island, where he worked at Sylvester Manor.

Another is of a man known as Old African Tom. Although a tiny painting — it measures 5 inches by 7 inches — it tells a big story.

Tom was said to be between 90 and 100 years old when he escaped his enslaver, Lemuel Pierson, a member of the family that Pierson High School was later named after. Tom was only about 4½ feet tall, and one of his legs was shorter than the other. He appears to be hobbling along a pier, his eyes on the lookout for danger, as he makes his escape.

“I imagine he must have slipped away on a ship, which is why a boat is in the background,” Butler said. “I don’t think he could have walked very far.”

“I’m glad there was a way to incorporate Michael as an artist into the exhibit,” said Dr. Georgette Grier-Key, the executive director of the Eastville Community Historical Society. “A lot of times with historical figures, we only see them in the written document. I think it is incredible that he was able to bring them to life.”

Butler said the assignment had given him new inspiration. “It’s all I want to do,” he said. “There’s other subject matter rolling around in my head, but this is what I want to do now: work on additional portraits.”

Grier-Key said Eastville was a natural venue for “The Forgetting To Remember” exhibit.

“I think working with In Plain Sight has really opened doors for people who don’t know about the history of slavery in the North,” she said.

Donnamarie Barnes, co-director of the In Plain Sight Project, said the exhibit sheds light on “a horrible system” that had a far greater foothold in the North than many people realize. But she said the goal of the effort is “to uncover and tell, with honor and respect, these stories.”

This Saturday, July 15, Barnes and her co-director, East Hampton Star Publisher David Rattray, will join Butler, Grier-Key, and Brenda Simmons, the director of the Southampton Museum of African American History, in a panel discussion, “Now That We Know, What Do We Do,” which will be held on the lawn of the Eastville historical society, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Seating is limited and attendees have been asked to register and bring their own chairs.

On Sunday, “Forgotten Founders” will be screened at the cinema at 11 a.m.

Both the talk and screening are free. Registration can be done online at SagHarborCinema.org.

The exhibit will be open through July 31. The historical society is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays or by appointment. Additional information can be obtained at EastvilleHistorical.org.