Civil Rights

Marcus Garvey In Harlem: Roots of African Independence

August 31, 2020 by James S. Kaplan Leave a Comment

Marcus Garvey was a Jamaican-born printer who as a young man became keenly aware of the severe discrimination against Black people, particularly dark skinned people, internationally.

He later moved to London where he met several Black Nationalists seeking to end white European colonialism in Africa.

At a library in London he read Booker T. Washington’s Up From Slavery in which Washington, the founder of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, urged that African-Americans pull themselves up and establish black institutions, over seeking equal rights through integration. [Read more…] about Marcus Garvey In Harlem: Roots of African Independence

July 4th, 1827: Freedom Day

July 3, 2020 by Deirdre Sinnott 8 Comments

As the last enslaved people living in New York State were officially freed on July 4th, 1827, celebrations reigned.

According to the New-York Spectator, people packed the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church on the corner of Church and Leonard Streets in Manhattan. The major societies for the support and liberation of African American people were there. Banners and flags festooned the church. “Several hymns written for the occasion were sung.”

Portraits of John Jay, a founder of the Manumission Society who had himself owned five people until 1800, and Matthew Clarkson, who introduced a bill for the gradual end of slavery to the New York State Legislature, were hung near a bust of Daniel D. Tompkins, who as Governor of New York had proposed this date as the day for emancipation. [Read more…] about July 4th, 1827: Freedom Day

Preservation Long Island Offering Racial Bias Virtual Events, Resources

July 3, 2020 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

The painful effects of racial bias and the long legacy of slavery are now on full display in our country. While many people live their lives shielded from such brutal realities, others must live them each day; carefully and often wary that any encounter could be fatal.

This different reality is a topic that causes discomfort, pain, and fear. Honest communication about race and the legacy of slavery in America is necessary to initiate change and foster a more equitable society. Conversation alone will not address or repair these issues. What is essential is dialogue towards understanding and empathy. [Read more…] about Preservation Long Island Offering Racial Bias Virtual Events, Resources

LGBTQ Pride Month Is History In Action

June 17, 2020 by Kelly Metzgar Leave a Comment

LGBTQI+ Pride Month is normally associated with colorful parades and marches and speeches by local, regional, and national leaders, but it’s part of an important political history as well.

Out of all the months in the year, why June? [Read more…] about LGBTQ Pride Month Is History In Action

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

African American Voting Rights Talk in Utica

January 27, 2020 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

The Utica/Oneida County Branch NAACP is set to kick off Black History Month 2020 with its annual program at the Oneida County History Center. The program features guest speakers, including County Legislator Evon Ervin and Councilman Delvin Moody, poetry recitals, dance presentations, music, and more.

This local celebration follows the 2020 national theme, African Americans and the Vote, which addresses the ongoing struggle on the part of both black men and black women for the right to vote. [Read more…] about African American Voting Rights Talk in Utica

Central Park Women’s Rights Statue Unveiling Date Set

January 22, 2020 by Editorial Staff 4 Comments

Monumental Women has set a date for the unveiling of the Women’s Rights Pioneers Monument on the Mall in the City of New York’s Central Park. The statue is the first statue depicting a real woman in the Park’s 167-year History.

The original statue of women’s rights pioneers Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony was redesigned to include Sojourner Truth after criticism that the original design excluded the contributions of people of color. It’s being sculpted by Meredith Bergmann. [Read more…] about Central Park Women’s Rights Statue Unveiling Date Set

1920s KKK Recruiting Efforts in Northern New York

January 6, 2020 by Lawrence P. Gooley 16 Comments

While we often look back fondly on the Roaring 20s for a number of reasons, it was a very dark period in the North Country in at least one regard: bigotry. For several years, the region was a hotbed of Ku Klux Klan activity during a high-profile recruiting effort.

The assumption today might be that the effort failed miserably among the good people of the north. But the truth is, the Klan did quite well, signing thousands of new members to their ranks. [Read more…] about 1920s KKK Recruiting Efforts in Northern New York

How The Bill of Rights Developed

October 16, 2019 by Liz Covart Leave a Comment

Law is all around us. And the basis of American Law comes not only from our early American past, but from our founding documents.

This episode begins our 4th Doing History series. Over the next four episodes, we’ll explore the early American origins of the Bill of Rights as well as the history of the Fourth Amendment. The Fourth Amendment will serve as our case study so we can see where our rights come from and how they developed from the early American past. [Read more…] about How The Bill of Rights Developed

Jackie Archer: A North Country Civil Rights Inspiration

March 14, 2019 by Lawrence P. Gooley Leave a Comment

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. inspired a national movement and remains a catalyst for peaceful change after he was martyred for the cause. He was hardly beloved by all: many felt threatened by him, and when he protested against the war in Vietnam, many criticized him for losing focus and supposedly deserting the primary goal of addressing racial inequality.

Millions supported his efforts, but it was a chaotic time, filled with uncertainty about the future. With the bitterness, hatred, and violence that was revealed, even on the nightly TV news, it sometimes seemed doubtful that true change could ever be achieved.

But Dr. King wasn’t alone as a leader. Others took up the mantle at all levels of society, including in Clinton County. [Read more…] about Jackie Archer: A North Country Civil Rights Inspiration