History, Natural History & the Arts
On October 29, 1857 Frederick Douglass spoke in Oneonta, in southern Otsego County, NY.
The visit appears in few historical sources, no doubt because it was long-held belief that it was not wise to identify Underground Railroad agents or their locations as a precaution against pro-slavery advocates attacking them. [Read more…] about Frederick Douglass & Oneonta’s Underground Railroad
With the arrival of Black History Month, the 2023 theme, “Black Resistance,” will certainly emphasize the standard bearers of freedom seekers. Most noticeable will be the attention devoted to Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman. There will also be discussions about the 1619 Project and the Critical Race Theory. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ attack on the teaching of the AP course in African American History will surely be debated.
Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, were two personalities that Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson honored in 1926 with his launching of Negro History Week. He selected the second week of February as the time of the annual celebration since it coincides with the birthdays of Douglass and Lincoln. [Read more…] about Black History Historiographic Genealogies: Sources & Resources
According to a press release issued by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), on September 27th, Environmental Conservation Officer (ECO) Mead received a report about a deer with its head stuck in a swing set in Jamestown, Chautauqua County. The caller reported the animal was struggling to free itself for an estimated 45 minutes. [Read more…] about Whitetail Deer Rescued From Deer Swing, Soccer Goal Net
The Downtown Oneonta Historic District is representative of more than two centuries of economic activity and urban development. The district remains largely intact, and contains an architecturally significant collection of commercial, converted residential, and civic buildings.
The downtown district characterizes broader trends in small urban areas where disinvestment and rural poverty are a direct threat to historic resources. Small cities like Oneonta represent important parts of the overall historic tapestry of New York State that without creative solutions could be lost forever. [Read more…] about Under Threat: The Downtown Oneonta Historic District
Otsego Outdoors has announced their first-ever Spring Octet Challenge, a collaborative effort of Otsego 2000, the Otsego Land Trust, and the Otsego County Conservation Association, Otsego Outdoors, that connects residents and visitors with year-round opportunities to enjoy the outdoors throughout Otsego County. [Read more…] about Otsego Outdoors Offers Spring Challenge
A new issue of the journal New York History was published in September 2019 under a new collaboration between the New York State Museum and Cornell University Press. The issue marks a return to print, after being a digital-only publication since 2012, and nearly ceasing publication when the New York State Historical Association (NYSHA) went defunct in 2017.
The New York State Historical Association began publishing the journal geared toward a popular and academic audience in 1919. It was first published as The Quarterly Journal of the New York State Historical Association, and since 1932 as New York History.
[Read more…] about New York History Journal Returns to Print
The Trustees of the Iroquois Indian Museum have announced the appointment of Maria Vann of Fly Creek, New York as Director of the Museum. Vann will assume her role as Director on January 1, 2014.
A statement from the museum to the press said: “Her qualifications in the museum field, in academia, and in business make her an excellent choice to lead the Museum forward. She will be concentrating on audience development, fundraising, and promotion of the Museum’s programs and exhibitions.” [Read more…] about Iroquois Indian Museum Names New Director