In Celebration of Black History Month, the Schenectady County Historical Society has released A History Erased: Rediscovering Black Schenectady, a new documentary exploring the history of Black people in Schenectady.
A History Erased: Rediscovering Black Schenectady is produced by SCHS and investigates the missing story of Schenectady’s 19th century Black population. From the beginning, Schenectady’s African American population was a small and marginalized community. This documentary looks at what happened to Black Schenectadians over the course of the 1800s; how they responded to the end of slavery, to industrialization, and to ongoing racial concerns; why the small community nearly vanished; and the marks it left on Schenectady’s culture and society.
A History Erased: Rediscovering Black Schenectady is based on extensive research utilizing 19th century censuses and city directories.
The documentary was directed and filmed by Michael Diana, Schenectady County Historical Society Education and Programs Manager.
A History Erased: Rediscovering Black Schenectady can be viewed on YouTube.
Photo provided.
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