Born into slavery around 1800 in Hoosick, New York, Myers rose from bondage to become one of the most important abolitionists in the state. For more than two decades, he and his wife Harriet transformed their home in Albany into a refuge for freedom seekers escaping slavery, helping thousands on their journey toward freedom.
Stephen Myers was born enslaved at a time when slavery still existed in parts of New York. Around the age of eighteen, he was granted his freedom by Lt. Colonel Warren of Vermont. Like many newly freed African Americans, Myers entered a society where legal freedom did not guarantee equal rights or opportunities.
In 1827, he married Harriet Johnson in Troy, New York. The couple later settled in Albany and raised five children. Together, they would become among the most respected Black abolitionists in the state.
A House of Refuge
The Myers family lived in several homes before settling at 198 Lumber Street in Albany. Their residence became much more than a family home. It served as a station on the Underground Railroad, the secret network that helped enslaved people escape from the South and reach freedom in the North and Canada.
Escaped slaves arrived exhausted, hungry, frightened, and often pursued by slave catchers. Stephen and Harriet provided food, shelter, clothing, money, and directions for the next stage of their journey. Their home also became the headquarters of the Albany Vigilance Committee, an anti-slavery organization dedicated to protecting fugitives and assisting free Black Americans threatened by kidnappers.
No precise records survive, but historians believe Myers assisted thousands of freedom seekers moving through Albany during the 1830s, 1840s, and 1850s. The city occupied a strategic position along transportation routes leading northward, making it a crucial stop for those escaping slavery.
The work carried out by Stephen and Harriet Myers was not simply charitable. It was dangerous.
Slave catchers regularly traveled into Northern states searching for escaped slaves. After the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, the danger increased dramatically. The law required authorities and ordinary citizens to cooperate in the capture of alleged fugitives and imposed penalties on those who helped them.
This meant that every freedom seeker sheltered by the Myers family carried a risk. A raid on their home could have exposed their operation, led to arrests, financial ruin, or violent retaliation. Anyone arriving at their door could have been a desperate escapee, but they could also have been an informant or a slave catcher gathering intelligence.
Despite these dangers, Stephen and his wife Harriet continued their work. Night after night, they chose to place themselves at risk rather than turn away people fleeing slavery. Their courage helped make Albany one of the most effective Underground Railroad centers in New York.
Myers was also thr editor of several abolitionist newspapers, including The Elevator, The Northern Star, Freeman’s Advocate, and The Telegraph and Temperance Journal.
Through these publications, he condemned slavery, promoted Black civil rights, and gave African Americans a voice in public debate. His newspapers connected abolitionists across the region and helped spread anti-slavery ideas throughout New York and beyond.
He worked alongside prominent activists such as Samuel Ringgold Ward and shared platforms with Frederick Douglass and other leading abolitionists of the era.
Myers also advocated for Black voting rights and worked through the New York State Suffrage Association to pressure lawmakers to extend political rights to African Americans. He also challenged racial discrimination in education and supported efforts to end school segregation in Albany.
Believing that economic independence was essential to true freedom, Myers helped organize the Florence Farming and Lumber Association. The project sought to create opportunities for Black families through land ownership, employment, and economic self-sufficiency. He also served as vice president of the American Council of Colored Laborers, which promoted skilled trades and economic advancement for African Americans.
During the American Civil War, Myers continued his activism by recruiting African American soldiers for the United States Colored Troops. He saw military service as both a contribution to the Union cause and a powerful argument for Black citizenship and equality.
Even as the nation moved toward emancipation, Myers remained committed to advancing the rights and opportunities of African Americans.
Final Years and Lasting Legacy
Harriet Myers died in 1865 after decades of service to the cause of freedom. Stephen continued his work until his death on February 13, 1870, at his son’s home in Albany.
Today, the Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence stands as a reminder of their extraordinary courage. The home has been preserved as a historic site dedicated to educating future generations about the Underground Railroad and the struggle for freedom.
Sources:
https://www.nationalabolitionhalloffameandmuseum.org/stephen-myers.html
https://www.albanyinstitute.org/online-exhibition/50-objects/section/stephen-and-harriet-myers-residence
