James S. Kaplan

James S. Kaplan is a tax, estate and guardianship lawyer who is a founding partner of the midtown New York law firm of Greenberg & Kaplan, a walking tour historian of New York Neighborhoods, and a Co-founder and past President of the LMHA. He is also a former Vice President and long-term Board member of the Temple of Universal Judaism.

New York City’s ‘Evacuation Day’ Planned

November 15, 2015 by James S. Kaplan Leave a Comment

On November 25, 1783 George Washington’s Continental army marched into New York City officially ending the Revolutionary War. Like much else about the war, the ceremonies that day were marked by controversy, but also triumph.

More than two and a half years after the joint French/American victory at Yorktown in 1781, after much wrangling over issues such as the status of New York’s numerous Tories and runaway slaves fighting for the British, Washington and British Governor Guy Carleton had agreed on arrangements for the British to turn over New York City, their last enclave in North America to the Continental army. By prearrangement, on the morning of November 25, 1783, Washington was to march down Broadway and take control of the City, just after the British and their supporters completed their withdrawal. [Read more…] about New York City’s ‘Evacuation Day’ Planned

Celebrating The End Of The American Revolution

October 2, 2015 by James S. Kaplan 3 Comments

October 17, 2015 marks the 238th anniversary of the British surrender at the Battle of Saratoga and October 19, 2015 marks the 234th anniversary of the British surrender at the Battle of Yorktown.

Although one would assume these two most important American Victories in the Revolutionary War might be widely celebrated in the City of New York, where the winning generals are buried, until recently they were not celebrated at all. [Read more…] about Celebrating The End Of The American Revolution

July 4th Parade Returns to Lower Manhattan

July 6, 2015 by James S. Kaplan 5 Comments

The Lower Manhattan Historical Society (LMHS), a group formed just last August, sponsored the first Independence Day parade in almost forty years in Lower Manhattan on July 3rd.

The parade included marchers from patriotic groups such as the New York Veteran Corps of the Artillery, the Sons of the Revolution of the State of New York Color Guard,, the Color guard of various chapters of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Colonial Dames of America, the French Air Force Reserves, the Chinatown partnership, and native New Yorkers. [Read more…] about July 4th Parade Returns to Lower Manhattan

From Brooklyn Two Men Fought Against Slavery

April 15, 2015 by James S. Kaplan 3 Comments

One hundred fifty years ago this week, in an elaborate ceremony, the American flag was raised over Fort Sumter in South Carolina marking a milestone in the Union victory in the Civil War. Two months earlier the U.S. Congress had adopted the 13th Amendment forever abolishing slavery.

Two longtime Brooklyn clergymen – Henry Ward Beecher and Henry Highland Garnet – were central to the ceremonies marking these events. Beecher (1813-1887) is described as the most famous man in America at the time of the Civil War, while Garnet (1815-1882) was well-known in the free blacks, but prior to the Civil War, was known to relatively few outside that community. [Read more…] about From Brooklyn Two Men Fought Against Slavery

John C. Fremont: Rockland County’s Forgotten Hero

March 26, 2015 by James S. Kaplan 12 Comments

In a cemetery overlooking the Hudson River just south of the Tappan Zee Bridge, lies John C. Fremont, who’s contribution to the end of slavery and the United States victory in the Civil War was tremendous, though he is little-remembered today.

Most generally associate Fremont with the State of California. He is the namesake of Fremont, California, and in 1846 was court-martialed for leading a revolt of American settlers there against the Mexican government. He lived most of the latter part of his life in New York State however, in the city of New York, and Westchester and Rockland counties. He also played a critical role in shifting the focus of Abraham Lincoln’s efforts in the Civil War from a sectional constitutional conflict to a crusade to abolish slavery. [Read more…] about John C. Fremont: Rockland County’s Forgotten Hero

Remembering Treasury Secretary Albert Gallatin

January 20, 2015 by James S. Kaplan 1 Comment

January 29th is the birthday of Albert Gallatin. The Lower Manhattan Historical Society will hold a brief ceremony at 4:30 pm in which students from New York University will lay a wreath on Gallatin’s grave in Trinity Church Cemetery. The ceremony will be followed by a lecture on Gallatin at 5:30 at the Museum of American Finance at 48 Wall Street in Manhattan.

Although not as well known as some of the more famous residents of Trinity’s cemetery, Albert Gallatin, was an important figure who fought for regular Americans and a more democratic society. [Read more…] about Remembering Treasury Secretary Albert Gallatin

Hoisting the Flag: An Evacuation Day Tradition

November 25, 2014 by James S. Kaplan 2 Comments

On November 26, 1883, a large statue of George Washington by the American Sculptor John Quincy Adams Ward was erected in front of New York City’s Federal Hall at 26 Wall Street, which statue remains there to this day.

This more than life size statute of George Washington was erected as part of a huge celebration of the hundredth anniversary of Evacuation Day, the day that the British finally left New York City on November 25, 1783 and Washington entered the City to claim it for the new American government. [Read more…] about Hoisting the Flag: An Evacuation Day Tradition

NYS History Education: A View From the Street

June 24, 2014 by James S. Kaplan 3 Comments

I recently returned from the 35th annual conference on New York State History in Poughkeepsie, which I attended for the first time. I understand this was the largest convocation of history professionals in New York State, and that the attendance at this conference was the highest ever. As my perspective and background is perhaps slightly different from most attendees at the conference, I feel it appropriate to provide certain observations.

Unfortunately, while others at the conference were somewhat more upbeat, my perception is that for the reasons set forth below there is at all levels an appalling lack of knowledge about critical elements of the history of New York State, and that we as a society suffer from this lack of knowledge every day. While I believe there are individuals in the history community who are in good faith seeking to address this problem, I am not sure that the efforts are close to adequate.

James S. Kaplan

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