Clarke, (D-Brooklyn), said that slavery in the United States existed under the Dutch as late as 1898 in Brooklyn, N.Y much to the shock of the stunned host.
The debacle began after Colbert asked Clarke: “Some have called Brooklyn’s decision to become part of New York City ‘The Great Mistake of 1898,'” Colbert said. “If you could get in a time machine and go back to 1898, what would you say to those Brooklynites?”
Without skipping a beat she responded: “I would say to them, ‘Set me free,'” Clarke said.
Pressed by Colbert what she would be free from, she responded: “Slavery.”
“Slavery. Really? I didn’t realize there was slavery in Brooklyn in 1898,” Colbert retorted, giving Clarke a chance to step back from her remarks.
But she failed to realize her mistake continuing: “I’m pretty sure there was.”
The funny man, then added: “It sounds like a horrible part of the United States that kept slavery going until 1898. Who would be enslaving you in 1898 in New York?”
“Those sneaky Dutch bastards,” Colbert added as Clarke responded: “Exactly.”
Clarke had tweeted of her interview on The Colbert Report last night at 11:30pm on Comedy Central but has not tweeted an apology or retraction since.
Slavery was abolished in the entire United States in 1865 and the Dutch lost control of New York in the 1660s.
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