Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site will hold The (Forgotten) Melting Pot: A Quadricentennial Panel Discussion on Thursday, October 8, 2009 in an attempt to address the historic ethnic and cultural elements oftentimes lost within the “melting pot” of America.

The evening will tackle the transitional 17th century in New York, but will also look to other moments in history, from pre-history to modern day. Our panelists will discuss both the roles of and the cultural shifts within African American, Native American, Dutch and women’s groups.

Panelists will include moderator Daniel Wolff, author of How Lincoln Learned to Read: Twelve Great Americans and the Educations That Made Them, Sherrill Wilson, Ph.D., urban anthropologist and author of New York City’s African Slave Owners: A Social and Material Culture History, David Oestricher, Ph.D., author and curator of the current exhibit Lenape: Ellis Island’s First Inhabitants, Tom Lake, archaeologist and professor of anthropology at SUNY Dutchess Community College and Martha Shattuck, Ph.D., editor and researcher with The New Netherland Project.

At 6 p.m., guests are invited to bring in their American “found objects,” whether pre-historic fossils or African textiles, for friendly analysis by our panel members before the discussion. Art appraiser and consultant Louise Devenish will also be on hand to tell the stories of objects. At 7 p.m. we will begin our panel discussion, immediately followed by a Q & A session for the audience. At 8:30 p.m. a reception and book signing will be held. For further information, please call 914-965-4027 or visit our event information website, philipsemanorhall.blogspot.com. This event is free to the public, but donations are appreciated.

Philipse Manor Hall, a high-style Georgian manor house, was the seat of a 52,000-acre estate and home to three generations of the Lords of Philipsburg Manor. Built between c. 1680 and 1755, it is the site around which the City of Yonkers grew and developed. Philipse Manor Hall is located at 29 Warburton Avenue, at Dock Street, in Yonkers, and parking is available on site. The historic site is one of six state historic sites and 12 parks administered by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation – Taconic Region: www.nysparks.com.