Binghamton

Fred Hazel: Binghamton’s Fighter For Racial Justice

May 19, 2020 by Richard White Leave a Comment

After moving to Binghamton from the City of New York in 1911, Fred C. Hazel’s civil rights work spurred his biographic inclusion in the 1915 edition of Who’s Who of the Colored Race.

His notable pre-1911 accomplishments included graduating from the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute (the Hampton Institute, who boasted Booker T., Washington as an alum), and owning a business, the Hampton Upholstering Company. After the 27-year-old man relocated to the Parlor City, he quickly pursued two ventures that were completed by the middle of 1912. [Read more…] about Fred Hazel: Binghamton’s Fighter For Racial Justice

Langston Hughes, Paul Robeson, and Hazel Scott in 1940s Binghamton

January 13, 2020 by Richard White Leave a Comment

“Whether Binghamton appreciates good music and other cultural programs was a matter of dispute today.” This observation in The Binghamton Press on May 3, 1946 arose when the newspaper interviewed residents about an upcoming music festival.

If the newspaper had conducted the same interview when Langston Hughes, Paul Robeson, and Hazel Scott presented their “cultural programs” one year earlier, there would not have been many negative responses. As the Second World War drew to a close, the city welcomed three iconic African American artists. [Read more…] about Langston Hughes, Paul Robeson, and Hazel Scott in 1940s Binghamton

Chenango Canal Presentation Planned For Rome, NY

August 10, 2018 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

The Rome Historical Society is set to host “Chenango Canal: The Million Dollar Ditch” a presentation and book signing with Wade A. Lallier on Thursday, August 15th at 7 pm.

With the completion of the Erie Canal across New York State, the construction of other canals then began to be proposed all along the Erie’s route. One of these lateral canals would connect the Susquehanna River at Binghamton to the Erie Canal in Utica. [Read more…] about Chenango Canal Presentation Planned For Rome, NY

Time Clock History: Binghamton’s Bundy Museum

June 21, 2018 by Bob Cudmore Leave a Comment

This week on The Historians podcast, Andy Pragacz from the Bundy Museum of History and Art in Binghamton, NY tells us about the museum and the Bundy company, makers of time clocks. The firm was a predecessor of IBM. The Bundy Museum’s new community radio station, WBDY, carries episodes of The Historians Podcast Sundays at 4:30 pm. Listen to the podcast here. [Read more…] about Time Clock History: Binghamton’s Bundy Museum

Broome Co Local History Conference Set For April

January 7, 2018 by Editorial Staff 1 Comment

The Bundy Museum of History and Art in Broome County has announced that they are planning to hold a conference on local history on Saturday, April 21, 2018.

The museum is seeking a wide range of histories and historians. Submissions from amateur enthusiasts, family historians, K-12 teachers, preservationists, high school and college students, professional historians, storytellers, librarians, and museum employees. Papers on any aspect of Broome County’s history, from any time period, will be considered. [Read more…] about Broome Co Local History Conference Set For April

The 1862 Binghamton Race Riot

January 19, 2017 by Richard White 3 Comments

For a few hours on the night of October 7, 1862 in the village of Binghamton, N.Y., law and order vaporized when a mob of white men attacked black residents, their homes, and their churches. The trigger for this race riot was an interracial fight at the circus in town. According to the Broome Republican, the rioters’ expressed goal was to “clean the negroes out.”

Right after the circus performances ended, “all the colored persons present” were attacked. Many suffered bloody injuries at the hands – and stones and clubs – of 20 to 30 rioters. There was no organized resistance as the victims fled for safety. In addition, there were no arrests, or police presence or response. [Read more…] about The 1862 Binghamton Race Riot

Charles M. Dickinson: Lowville Poet and Diplomat

July 20, 2015 by Lawrence P. Gooley Leave a Comment

Among the foreign issues America has dealt with many times is hostage taking. Kidnappers have claimed various motives, but it was frequently done to extort money in support of a cause. Extortion kidnappings have often involved seizing of American missionaries and threatening to kill them unless ransom was paid. More than a hundred years ago, there occurred what is referred to as “America’s First Modern Hostage Crisis,” which is actually the subtitle of a 2003 book by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Teresa Carpenter.

“The Miss Stone Affair” is the title, referring to Protestant missionary Ellen Maria Stone. A North Country man was a key player in her story, which riveted the nation for half a year. [Read more…] about Charles M. Dickinson: Lowville Poet and Diplomat

An Infamous Criminal’s Connection To Monticello

October 16, 2014 by John Conway Leave a Comment

Edward H. Rulloff was one of the most famous American criminals of the 19th century, believed responsible for multiple murders and sundry other crimes, and eventually being publicly hanged in Binghamton, New York. He was also a brilliant savant, obsessively seeking respectability and the approval of what he deemed “good society.”

And if not for this obsession, his crime spree would have without a doubt included the National Union Bank in Monticello, the County Seat of Sullivan County. [Read more…] about An Infamous Criminal’s Connection To Monticello

New Contributor: APHNYS President Gerald Smith

October 31, 2011 by Editorial Staff 1 Comment

Please welcome our newest contributor here at the online journal New York History, President of the Association of Public Historians of New York State Gerry Smith.

Smith has been Broome County Historian since 1988 and City of Binghamton Historian since 1984. A native of Broome County, he graduated from Broome Community College and Binghamton University where he received his Masters in History.

Gerry recently retired from his full-time job at the Broome County Public Library after 32 years and began HistorySmiths, a consulting and research company. He is the author of several books, including Partners All: A History of Broome Count, New York and The Valley of Opportunity: A Pictorial History of Greater Binghamton, New York. He is currently the curator of “The Civil War” at Roberson Museum. He serves on several boards, including WSKG, and the Broome County Historical Society.

The Association of Public Historians began in 1999 with the merger of the former Association of Municipal Historians of New York State and the County Historians Association of New York State. The organization is the officially recognized agency to serve the needs of the over 1600 local government historians in every town, village, city, county and borough in the state. Today, hundreds of historians attend the organization’s annual conference or network and learn at one of the meetings of the twelve statewide regions. The APHNYS website connects historians through online resources, newsletters and specialized training on historic issues. APHNYS is currently involved in a statewide initiative on historical markers, and operates its Registered Historians program to promote professionalism and education for all appointed historians.