A family reunion in Ossining, New York, honored Lewis Brady, a Black man who escaped slavery and became a legendary oysterman. Historian Joyce Sharrock Cole dedicated years to uncovering Brady's story, which was lost to time. Her research was catalyzed by an ancestry DNA test taken by one of Brady's descendants. The reunion included unveiling a tribute at his gravesite, celebrating an influential figure in American history and the determination exhibited in his life journey.
When I first took the position of village historian they were working on a cemetery program for Sparta Cemetery, where Lewis is interred. So, I went feet-in, head-in, everything in, to find his living descendants.
Brady shared parts of his life story in an interview with the New York Herald newspaper about a year before he died. The article helped Sharrock Cole connect the dots.
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