Historic Hudson Valley
Kofi's Fire
Capabilities
Creative Concept
Narrative Development
Illustration and Animation
Software Development
Kofi’s Fire: A Spark Of Resistance
Kofi’s Fire is a multi award-winning interactive graphic novel inspired by the true story of the 1741 New York City Uprising, where enslaved Africans and white indentured servants set fire to warehouses in lower Manhattan. This immersive educational experience for middle and high school students sparks their imaginations with a richly detailed slice of an often-overlooked history.
Kofi, an enslaved dock worker, was a real person, and one of many tried for the fires. Historical documents mention he spoke in his defense, but his actual words were never recorded. Kofi’s Fire imagines a multi-dimensional, main-character story for him that’s full of humanity, agency, and life while inviting students to reconsider the limitations of one-sided narratives and the blindspots of canonical history.
We use the vernacular and visual style of graphic novels to connect with savvy, media-consuming kids. Vibrantly colored and lushly textured illustrations defy the usual faded portraits of the past and reinforce the current-day relevance of history.
Fantasy sequences draw on African folklore traditions and Afrofuturism to situate Kofi’s story within a broader cultural heritage. These–along with depictions of Black joy–provide poetic release from the confines of historical documents. Created by a majority Black team, each a trailblazer in their respective fields, Kofi’s Fire asks students to consider what else might rise from the ashes of historical footnotes and marginalia.
