Abolitionist Guide to NYC

Abolitionist Guide to NYC is a free and publicly accessible guidebook that will provide a historical and geographic survey of jails and prisons in Manhattan from the Dutch colonization of Lenapehoking to the present day. Through archival research, interviews, art and poetry, photographs, maps, timelines, personal histories from current and formerly incarcerated people, and current organizing strategies, we will demystify the formation of the prison industrial complex in New York City and highlight movements working to transform and abolish it. The goal is to provide context and resources for the concerned public, and facilitate connections for people organizing and learning today.

Coming in Fall 2026:

• Detailed historical timeline spanning from circa 1500 to present day.
• Supplemental contributor material including poems, writing, oral histories, and artwork.
• A PDF version of the guidebook for online access and reading.
• Public archive of primary sources used for research.
• Accessible catalog of relevant publications made by librarians at the New York Public Library.