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Northern NY Discusses Interviewing and Oral History

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The Clinton-Essex Counties Roundtable will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, 2009 at the Northern New York American Canadian Genealogy Society, Keeseville Civic Center, 1802 Main St., Keeseville. The topic will be “Community Scholars Training: Interviewing & Oral History” and will be presented by Traditional Arts in Upstate New York (TAUNY) Executive Director Jill Breit.

Breit will share examples of successful oral history projects and demonstrate the many ways interviews can be used for different outcomes. She will focus on how to organize an oral history project, the basics of an oral history interview, the importance of field notes and follow-up interviews, recorders and other equipment for collecting oral history.

There will also be a tour of NNY American Canadian Genealogy Society Library and the Anderson Falls Heritage Society. Lunch will be provided at a cost of $5.00, payable at the roundtable.

The roundtable is provided free of charge to the public on behalf of the Northern New York Library Network, Potsdam, and Documentary Heritage Program. To register for this event contact the NNYLN at 315-265-1119, or sign up on-line at www.nnyln.org and click on “Classes.”

Weekly New York History Blogging Round-Up

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The 220th Anniversary of Washington’s Inauguration

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Today marks the 220th anniversary of George Washington’s inauguration as America’s first president a reminder that as our nation’s first capital, New York City is rich in historical gems that commemorate Washington and his era’s achievements. One of them is presented by The National Parks of New York Harbor Conservancy, which offers a series of tours that explore these sites.

&#8220George Washington’s New York&#8221 is a new self-guided tour that recounts “a day in the life” of America’s first President when New York was the capital of the United States. Learn about the colonial New York our founding fathers called home. Follow Washington’s daily horseback ride through the Battery to Federal Hall- first home of the fledging country’s congress. The tour departs from 26 Wall Street and last approximately 90 minutes. Visitors can also visit free exhibits at Federal Hall following the tour.

You can download the tour booklet and map here.

Sanford Family Diaries Now Available Online

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The Sanford collection, which was donated to the NYS Library last summer, consists of nine manuscript journals, a small group of letters, and a manuscript recipe book. Nathan Sanford (that’s him at left) was Chancellor of NYS from 1823-1826, a NYS Assemblymember and Senator, US attorney general, and a US senator. The family was well connected and Nathan’s descendants married into other prominent families such as the Gansevoorts, Stuyvesants, and Motts.

Most of the journals were kept by Nathan’s son, Robert- covering his days as a student at Union College to 1881, they provide a wealth of detail into the daily lives of New York’s upper class. The other journals were kept by female family members. The recipe book is marvelously descriptive and comprehensive and would be of interest to anyone researching aspects of the domestic sphere in the 19th century.

Preservation League to Honor 2009 Award Recipients

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The Preservation League of New York State will honor and celebrate the recipients of its Excellence in Historic Preservation Awards at the The New York Yacht Club, 37 West 44th Street &#8211 New York City on Wednesday evening, May 13, 2009 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The suggested donation is $60 per ticket. For more information contact Shelley LaClair at 518-462-5658 x13 or download the invitation and RSVP card from the League’s website at www.preservenys.org.

Weekly New York History Blogging Round-Up

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Len Tantillo on Painting The Hudson Valley: History and Process

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Len Tantillo, an artist born and raised in upstate New York, will speak on &#8220Painting the Valley: History and Process,&#8221 this Sunday, April 26, 2009 at 2pm at the Albany Institute of History and Art. Tantillo is New York’s premiere painter of historical subjects.

In 1980, Tantillo was commissioned to depict a series of 19th-century structures from
archeological artifacts and historic documents. Similar projects followed, many of which were located along the banks of the Hudson River near Albany. In 1984, Tantillo left commercial art and began the full-time pursuit of fine art. He has spent the last 25 years creating numerous historical and marine paintings, which have continued to draw a wide audience. Tantillo’s work shows the combined influence of the luminists of the 19th century and the great marine artists of the past.

You can see much of his work on the web here.

SUNY Albany Puts Old Student Newspapers Online

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Peter Bae’s Clio’s Room blog has announced that SUNY Albany’s Special Collections and Archives has put copies of the university’s newspaper from 1916 to 1985 online. Currently you only have the option to browse the papers via pdf, but they are working on a full text search.

You can find them online at:
http://library.albany.edu/speccoll/findaids/studentnewspapers.htm

Looks like a great resource, particularly for the history of student activism, education, youth culture, and more.