Tag: Interpretive Center

Underground Railroad Educational Center v. NEH

Interpretive Center

I have been a fan of the Underground Railroad Educational Center since its inception in 2003. Actually, well before then. UREC is a non-profit organization that seeks, among other things, “to promote and encourage knowledge and understanding of the Underground Railroad Movement and its genesis and legacy in the Capital Region and in New York State, and as a significant element of the history of the United States.”

I’ve known its founders, Paul and Mary Liz Stewart, since before they first started giving tours of significant locations in Albany. The UREC has held conferences that I’ve attended. The moving July 4 responses to Frederick Douglass’s famous speech on the topic are on my calendar each year. The Stewarts are featured on this recent WTEN digital story.

I attended the groundbreaking of the Interpretive Center, very close to the historic residence of abolitionists Stephen and Harriet Myers at 194 Livingston Avenue in Albany, NY.

Then the $250,000 grant the museum had won in 2024 was canceled, DOGEd out in May 2025 as part of the regime’s anti-DEI effort. This was understandably devastating news.

News

But I read recently in  The Washington Post [behind a paywall] that UREC is suing the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and several other officials in a case filed Friday. March 20, in the U.S. District Court in Albany. “The lawsuit accuses the government of violating the center’s First and Fifth Amendment rights.”

Reading the WaPo comments, I realize, yet again, that people only understand part of the story. If the money was allocated in 2024, how could the funds be cut in 2025? In part, the money was tied to matching funds the UGEC has been diligently raising.

I was surprised by the news, assuming they did not have the means to engage attorneys. “The lawsuit was filed through Lawyers for Good Government, an organization that provides free legal services for public interest cases.” Ah, that makes sense.

Here’s the Albany Times Union  [behind a paywall]. Syracuse.com [usually available], and NBC News [available] stories.

Arias in the Afternoon

geothermal infrastructure

At the end of September, my wife and I attended a fundraiser entitled Arias in the Afternoon. It celebrated the Underground Railroad Education Center, which has been researching and sharing, through conferences and public presentations, the story of the Underground Railroad in Albany and beyond for the past two decades.

A key element of the exploration has been the discovery of the former residence of Stephen and Harriet Myers, prominent leaders of the Underground Railroad in Albany during the 1850s, at 194 Livingston Avenue, which is currently the base of operations of UREC.

UREC “needs more space to expand its empowering interpretive programs and community engagement opportunities, and to develop new programs and ways to interact with the community far and wide.” Also, the Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence could be restored “to its period of historic relevance.”

Here’s a description of the forthcoming Interpretive Center. After attending the groundbreaking ceremony a few months ago, I discovered that the building’s construction is environmentally sound. “The Center will contain a geothermal infrastructure and be designed according to Living Building Challenge of Sustainability standards for green buildings, which focuses on a regenerative built environment, aligning with and meeting the zero-greenhouse gas emission standards set by New York State’s Gov. Hochul. The building will incorporate surrounding green spaces… deliberately designed to enhance health benefits in the neighborhood.” 

Argus Hotel

The Arias event was at the Argus Hotel. I’ve only lived in Albany since 1979, so I hadn’t heard of The Argus Hotel. Where is it? 8 Thurlow Terrace, that one-block road from Western Avenue near the downtown SUNY Campus to just before Washington Park. I’ve SEEN that big old house, but I didn’t know it was a hotel.

As stated in the bulletin, Arias in the Afternoon’s “event champion ” was the honorable Patricia Fahy. Pat Fahy is my assemblyperson for the 109th district in the New York State Legislature. She’s currently running for the New York State Senate in my district. She has been a champion for the Interpretive Center.

The event ran from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. I arrived after church, around 12:30, so I missed Pat Fahy’s opening remarks and the first round of singing by Daniel Pascoe Aguilar, though I did listen to him later. There was also a pianist, Paul Cronin, who I did hear. If you would like to support the construction of the Interpretive Center, go to the bottom of this page.

After my wife, who arrived after a church rehearsal, and I left, we went to the Upper Madison Street Fair, one block from our house featuring music, food, and more. I even got a massage.

At both events, I saw several people I knew, some for the first time in a while. The day gave me that good Albany feel.

Ramblin' with Roger
Social media & sharing icons powered by UltimatelySocial