Posts tagged Brooklyn

blackloveisabeautifulthing: Her Words As Witness:  Women Writers of the African Diaspora Opening Reception:  Thursday, December 1, 2011, 6-8pm, Skylight Gallery, Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Plaza, Brooklyn, NY, USA. The exhibit will feature 35 photographic portraits by Brooklyn-based photographer, Laylah Amatullah Barrayn, of some of today’s most compelling writers, along with excerpts from their works.  Those featured, include award-winning Haitian novelist and essayist, Edwidge Danticat (as one of her publications is shown here); who the New York Times credits with increasing America’s understanding of the Haitian immigrant.  The exhibition will promote a personal and community dialogue about the artists, race, sexism, literature, love and other issues.  For more information, call (718) 636-6949. womenwritersopen

blackloveisabeautifulthing:

Her Words As Witness:  Women Writers of the African Diaspora

Opening Reception:  Thursday, December 1, 2011, 6-8pm, Skylight Gallery, Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Plaza, Brooklyn, NY, USA.

The exhibit will feature 35 photographic portraits by Brooklyn-based photographer, Laylah Amatullah Barrayn, of some of today’s most compelling writers, along with excerpts from their works.  Those featured, include award-winning Haitian novelist and essayist, Edwidge Danticat (as one of her publications is shown here); who the New York Times credits with increasing America’s understanding of the Haitian immigrant.  The exhibition will promote a personal and community dialogue about the artists, race, sexism, literature, love and other issues.  For more information, call (718) 636-6949.

womenwritersopen


"The Stoop Gallery" in Brooklyn {event}

Joan Maynard The story of Weeksville’s discovery and preservation sounds like a fairy tale with Ms. Maynard as its guardian angel. The settlement began in the 1830’s when escaped slaves and free blacks bought property there. It quickly became a thriving community with schools, churches, an orphanage and one of the nation’s first black newspapers, The Freedman’s Torchlight. Among the 19th-century residents of Weeksville was Susan McKinney Steward, who in 1870 became the first female African-American physician in New York State. But by 1968, few remembered Weeksville, much less where it had been. A historian leading a workshop at Pratt Institute, James Hurley, had seen references to the community in archives, but in many walks he had found no sign of it. Then, Joe Haynes, a volunteer pilot, took Mr. Hurley up in his plane to make an aerial photograph. It showed four wood-frame cottages hidden in an alley once called Hunterfly Road. The same year, Ms. Maynard became a founding member of the Weeksville Society and served as president from 1972 until 1974, when she became executive director.

Joan Maynard

The story of Weeksville’s discovery and preservation sounds like a fairy tale with Ms. Maynard as its guardian angel. The settlement began in the 1830’s when escaped slaves and free blacks bought property there. It quickly became a thriving community with schools, churches, an orphanage and one of the nation’s first black newspapers, The Freedman’s Torchlight.

Among the 19th-century residents of Weeksville was Susan McKinney Steward, who in 1870 became the first female African-American physician in New York State.

But by 1968, few remembered Weeksville, much less where it had been. A historian leading a workshop at Pratt Institute, James Hurley, had seen references to the community in archives, but in many walks he had found no sign of it.

Then, Joe Haynes, a volunteer pilot, took Mr. Hurley up in his plane to make an aerial photograph. It showed four wood-frame cottages hidden in an alley once called Hunterfly Road.

The same year, Ms. Maynard became a founding member of the Weeksville Society and served as president from 1972 until 1974, when she became executive director.

The Historic Districts Council just listed Bedford-Stuyvesant as one of the six neighborhoods that deserve to be celebrated through preservation efforts. Here’s the complete news release:

The Historic Districts Council, New York’s city-wide advocate for historic buildings and neighborhoods, is pleased to announce the first annual Six to Celebrate, a list of historic New York City neighborhoods that merit preservation attention. This is New York’s only citywide list of preservation priorities.

The Six were chosen from applications submitted by neighborhood groups around the city on the basis of the architectural and historic merit of the area; the level of threat to the neighborhood; strength and willingness of the local advocates, and where HDC’s citywide preservation perspective and assistance could be the most meaningful. Throughout 2011, HDC will work with these neighborhood partners to set and reach preservation goals through strategic planning, advocacy, outreach, programs and publicity.

Bed-Stuy Blog

Is Medgar Evers College Under Attack? Faculty Battle Provost and President

Exactly fifty years to the day, Unites Airlines Flight 826 crashed into Park Slope, extensively damaging ten brownstones and the Pillar Of Fire Evangelical Church on 7th Avenue. Six people were killed on the ground.  All but one passenger on the plane perished.  The lone survivor was 11 year old Stephen Baltz of Wilmette, Illinois. Tragically, he died of his injuries at Methodist Hospital 26 hours later.

Exactly fifty years to the day, Unites Airlines Flight 826 crashed into Park Slope, extensively damaging ten brownstones and the Pillar Of Fire Evangelical Church on 7th Avenue. Six people were killed on the ground.  All but one passenger on the plane perished.  The lone survivor was 11 year old Stephen Baltz of Wilmette, Illinois. Tragically, he died of his injuries at Methodist Hospital 26 hours later.

BK Property Auction on 12/7. Get you a house! {PDF}

St. John’s Bread & Life Holiday Drive

St. John’s Bread and Life, the largest soup kitchen in Brooklyn, is seeking support for its tenth annual Sponsor-A-Family holiday drive to provide Christmas toys and meals to more than 2,000 families. To make a donation, please call (718) 574-0058 or visit www.breadandlife.org.

St. John’s Bread & LIfe
795 Lexington Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11221

How To Gentrify: Bed-Stuy Edition

At least that’s how I see it.

The Best Cheap Sandwiches in Brooklyn

Gonna keep this list handy. I love a good (and cheap) sammich!