Metro

WATCH: Rep. Clarke claims slavery existed in 1898

She gave a whole new meaning to Dutch Masters.

Brooklyn Rep. Yvette Clarke insisted before a national TV audience Tuesday night that there was still slavery in New York City in 1898 — and the oppressors were the Dutch.

The epic fail on basic US history came during an appearance on Stephen Colbert’s Comedy Central show, where the Crown Heights congresswoman was asked what she’d do if she were back in 1898, when Brooklyn surrendered its independence as a separate city.

“I would say to them, ‘Set me free,’ ” responded Clarke.

“From what?” asked the host.

“Slavery,” shot back Clarke, a three-term congresswoman, adding that it was the Dutch who were the slave masters in 1898, a good two centuries after they had left town.

Colbert seemed to try giving Clarke a chance to correct her massive flub, saying, “Slavery. Really? I didn’t realize there was slavery in Brooklyn in 1898.”

But Clarke stuck to her stunning screwup. “I’m pretty sure there was,” she said.