NYC Gazette

Seneca Village, a notable 19th-century community of predominantly Black landowners and tenants, once thrived in the area now known as Central Park. By the mid-1800s, the village featured around fifty homes, churches, cemeteries, a school, and gardens. It was a symbol of opportunity, freedom, and prosperity, offering an escape from lower Manhattan. However, in 1857, the village was displaced through the use of eminent domain for the creation of the park.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has launched a project inspired by the history of Seneca Village. Titled "Before Yesterday We Could Fly: An Afrofuturist Period Room," the installation creates a domestic space using furnishings that aim to project authenticity while integrating the African and African diasporic belief that past, present, and future are connected. This initiative draws on the creative power of Afrofuturism, focusing on Black imagination and self-determination. The project posits an alternate reality where Seneca Village could have continued evolving.

The project's name takes inspiration from Virginia Hamilton's interpretations of the Flying African tale, celebrating the imagination and spirituality of enslaved peoples. Utilizing vision, sound, and storytelling, the room showcases a range of works from The Met's collection, including Bamileke beadwork and contemporary art. Additionally, it features specific new acquisitions and commissions from artists such as Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Fabiola Jean-Louis, and Jenn Nkiru.

The curatorial team at The Met collaborated with lead curator Hannah Beachler and consulting curator Michelle Commander. Since 2019, a broader team of creative and intellectual partners have contributed varied perspectives. At the museum, this project represents a space celebrating more histories looking towards a resilient future.

The exhibition is supported by the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation and the Director’s Fund, with additional backing from the Art Mentor Foundation Lucerne and the Terra Foundation for American Art. The museum's quarterly Bulletin, providing texts about the history of Seneca Village and works by Black creators through Afrofuturism, accompanies the exhibition.

For visitor access, ambient audio accompanies a five-channel digital video in the Living Room and Television section, accessible through the museum's free WiFi network.