The Dark History of NYPD: Racial Injustice and Resistance

This chapter explores the origins of the NYPD and highlights the historical narrative of police brutality through the lens of a civil rights organizer's experience with arrest during peaceful protests. It recounts the harrowing tale of Miss Brown, a victim of kidnapping aided by law enforcement, and illustrates the corrupt practices of early policing as exemplified by constable Tobias Boudinot. As the story unfolds, it reveals the struggles of marginalized communities against a backdrop of systemic injustice and lays the groundwork for emerging resistance in the Black community of New York.