Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Hotel Syracuse Mural: William "Jerry" Henry

Renovations of the historic Hotel Syracuse revealed a long historical mural, painted in 1949 on the wall above and behind the reception counter. The restored mural depicts important elements of Syracuse history. Shown here is the far right hand section of the mural.

At the lower right is William "Jerry" Henry, who escaped slavery years before the Civil War to Missouri, a border state; then he moved to New York, a free state where he lived in Syracuse and worked in a barrel shop. On October 1, 1851 he was taken prisoner by federal marshals.under the Fugitive Slave Act  Later the same day abolitionists attending a convention here rescued and hid him. Weeks later he safely reached Canada, as did several of the abolitionists who had broken the law to rescue him.

Details surrounding the events are found here. And here.

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