A Divided City: Revolutionary-Era New York and the Politics of Polarization

New York City was one of the most politically divided places in Revolutionary-era America. Decisions to join the rebellion or support the British Crown split families and friendships, turning neighbors against one another in a conflict that reshaped the city. MS NOW journalist Antonia Hylton is joined by Peter-Christian Aigner, director of the Gotham Center and co-director of The Occupied City: New York and the American Revolution, Christina Greer, professor at Fordham University, and Mike Duncan, creator and host of Revolutions Podcast, for a discussion exploring how allegiance was shaped not only by political principle, but also by social class, commerce, rivalry, ethnicity, and the demands of survival. Drawing parallels to contemporary New York, the program considers how economic inequality and debates over power, opportunity, and leadership continue to shape competing visions of the city’s identity and future. 

This program is part of the Revolutionary New York: Then and Now Series. For more programs in this series click here. 

Event Timeline: 
5:45 p.m. - The Occupied City: New York and the American Revolution open to viewing 
6:30 p.m. - Panel Discussion and Q&A (Ronay Menschel Hall, Ground Floor) 
8:00 p.m. - Event Ends, Museum Closes 

About the Speakers: 
Antonia Hylton is a Peabody, Murrow, and two-time Emmy award-winning Anchor and Correspondent for MS NOW, and the New York Times bestselling author of MADNESS. She is also the cohost of the hit podcasts Southlake and Grapevine. From 2016 to 2020, Antonia was a Correspondent and Producer for Vice Media and HBO’s nightly news and documentary show, Vice News Tonight. Since 2019, she has also served as an annual judge for the American Mosaic Journalism Prize. Antonia graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in 2015, where she received prizes for her writing and investigative research on race, mass incarceration, and the history of psychiatry. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.
 

Peter-Christian Aigner is an historian of twentieth-century America. His first book explores the life and career of Daniel Patrick Moynihan as a view onto the strains of modern American liberalism between the New Deal and the present century (Simon & Schuster, March 2027). It will be the first scholarly biography of the national political figure, public intellectual, and New York City icon. As head of the Gotham Center, he leads all programming. At his initiative, the organization has introduced a variety of new programs, including the establishment of its first research grant and writing fellowship programs, its online adult education program GothamEd, the award-winning series Sites & Sounds and other podcasts, and NYC Revolutionary Trail, a multimedia walking tour and educational resource which is now a free, smartphone app, sponsored by the Downtown Alliance and winner of the Guides Association of New York City’s Apple Award. He is the co-curator of The Occupied City: New York and the American Revolution, a 7,000 sq. ft. exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York (open May 2026 to July 2027).
 

Christina Greer is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Fordham University, Lincoln Center (Manhattan) campus. Her research and teaching focus on American politics, Black ethnic politics, campaigns and elections, and public opinion. She is the author of Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream, How to Build a Democracy from Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams, and co-editor of Black Politics in Transition: Immigration, Suburbanization, and Gentrification. Greer writes a weekly column for The Amsterdam News, is a frequent political commentator on several media outlets, and is the co-host of FAQ-NYC. Her research interests also include mayors and public policy in urban centers. Her previous work has compared criminal activity and political responses in Boston and Baltimore. Prof. Greer received her B.A. from Tufts University and her M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. in Political Science from Columbia University.

Mike Duncan is one of the most popular history podcasters in the world and author of the New York Times–bestselling book, The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic. His award-winning series, The History of Rome, remains a legendary landmark in the history of podcasting. Duncan’s ongoing series, Revolutions, explores the great political revolutions that have driven the course of modern history. His most recent book is Hero of Two Worlds: The Marquis de Lafayette in the Age of Revolution.
 

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.