Read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 4 of this story. David Ruggles and the Tappan brothers, Lewis and Arthur, were three men with Brooklyn connections who were devoted to the cause of abolition in the 1830s.

Former television host Ananda Lewis has died, her sister Lakshmi Emory shared in a Facebook post on Wednesday. Lewis was 52. Lewis, who was known for her role as an MTV VJ and host of "Teen Summit ...

After his Manhattan silk house went to the wall in the panic of 1837, Lewis Tappan, casting around for a new deal, hit on the idea of selling his knowledge of other people's businesses. His ...