Listen Now - Empire City: The Untold Origin Story of the NYPD
Digest
The podcast "Empire City" delves into the early history of the NYPD, starting in the 1800s. It reveals a time of deadly riots, brawls, and the kidnapping of Black New Yorkers into slavery, with the police themselves being the perpetrators. The host, seeking to understand the origins of the narrative that police keep people safe, encounters roadblocks in her quest for historical truth at the New York City Police Museum. The museum, initially a room full of artifacts with no interpretation, faced challenges in telling the truth about the NYPD's history due to censorship and institutional agenda. The host's persistence leads her to Edward T. O'Donnell, a historian who curated exhibits for the museum in 1999. O'Donnell recounts the museum's staff, comprised of NYPD officers, and the censorship he faced when writing about the NYPD's history. He was forbidden from using the words "violence" and "corruption," highlighting the institution's agenda to control the narrative. The museum's grand relaunch in 2000 was met with initial success, but a corruption scandal involving the museum director and a sergeant who censored O'Donnell's work led to its closure. The podcast emphasizes the importance of newspapers in understanding the NYPD's history, as they not only reported on events but also played a crucial role in shaping the public perception of the police, influencing the narrative for over 180 years.
Outlines
The NYPD's Hidden History: From Empire City to Censorship
This podcast explores the hidden history of the NYPD, revealing its origins, corruption, and the institution's attempts to control the narrative. It starts with the early days of the NYPD in the 1800s, highlighting the dark secrets that have been hidden for centuries. The podcast then delves into the challenges of uncovering the truth about the NYPD's history, including censorship and corruption scandals.
The Narrative of Police Safety: A Personal Encounter and Historical Inquiry
The host shares a personal experience with a police officer in a playground, highlighting the ingrained belief that police keep people safe. This prompts her to question the origins of this narrative and delve into the true history of the NYPD. She encounters roadblocks in her quest for historical truth at the New York City Police Museum, including a closed museum and a lack of access to historical information.
The NYPD Museum: A Troubled History of Censorship and Corruption
The podcast explores the troubled history of the New York City Police Museum, revealing the censorship and corruption scandals that ultimately led to its closure. The host interviews Edward T. O'Donnell, a historian who curated exhibits for the museum in 1999, who recounts the museum's staff, comprised of NYPD officers, and the censorship he faced when writing about the NYPD's history. He was forbidden from using the words "violence" and "corruption," highlighting the institution's agenda to control the narrative. The museum's grand relaunch in 2000 was met with initial success, but a corruption scandal involving the museum director and a sergeant who censored O'Donnell's work led to its closure.
The Power of Newspapers: Shaping the Narrative of the NYPD
The podcast emphasizes the importance of newspapers in understanding the NYPD's history. They not only reported on events but also played a crucial role in shaping the public perception of the police, influencing the narrative for over 180 years.
Keywords
NYPD
The New York City Police Department, the largest and most famous police service in the world, known for its iconic imagery and tales of heroism.
Empire City
A podcast series that explores the early history of the NYPD, revealing its origins and the dark secrets that have been hidden for centuries.
Police Museum
A museum dedicated to preserving the history of the NYPD, but plagued by censorship and corruption scandals, ultimately leading to its closure.
Institutional Agenda
The deliberate attempt by an institution to control the narrative and present a specific version of history, often to protect its reputation or maintain power.
Corruption
Dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in positions of power, often involving bribery, embezzlement, or abuse of authority.
Censorship
The suppression of speech, public communication, or other information that may be considered objectionable, harmful, or sensitive.
Narrative
A story or account of events, often presented in a particular way to influence public perception or understanding.
Q&A
What is the main focus of the podcast "Empire City"?
"Empire City" explores the early history of the NYPD, revealing its origins and the dark secrets that have been hidden for centuries.
Why was the host initially drawn to the New York City Police Museum?
The host was seeking to understand the true history of the NYPD and how the narrative that police keep people safe became so widely believed.
What challenges did the host face in accessing information about the NYPD's history?
The host encountered a closed museum, a lack of access to historical information, and censorship from NYPD officers who controlled the museum's narrative.
How did the NYPD Museum's history ultimately reflect the institution's agenda?
The museum's censorship of historical facts, particularly regarding violence and corruption, demonstrated the NYPD's desire to control the narrative and present a sanitized version of its history.
What role did newspapers play in shaping the public perception of the NYPD?
Newspapers not only reported on events but also played a crucial role in shaping the public perception of the police, influencing the narrative for over 180 years.
Show Notes
At a time when we’re debating where policing is going, we’re going to tell you where the police came from. Guided by Peabody award-winning host Chenjerai Kumanyika, Empire City will provide the first accessible narrative history of the American police and its place in popular culture. Who are the police? And why were police departments created in the first place? To find answers, we’re going to tell the origin story of the largest police force in the world: The NYPD. We begin in the late 1800’s at a moment when the entire police force was on trial. It’s the biggest corruption scandal in the history of the NYPD, and it all plays out like a high stakes courtroom drama. What follows is the action-packed account of how the NYPD got to this point and what happened next. It involves Black abolitionists fighting slave patrols in the courts of Gotham; two rival police forces duking it out for power at City Hall; the origins of the true crime genre; and how the NYPD spread their tactics worldwide.
Listen to Empire City wherever you get your podcasts: Wondery.fm/Empire_City.
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Table of contents
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