This week, it feels like the Underground Railroad and Frederick Douglass all the time.
Friday, July 4th: Oration at the Underground Railroad Education Center, 194 Livingston Avenue in Albany, 11 am-1 pm. New York State’s Investment in the Institution of Enslavement and Its Legacy Today. The speaker will be Lavada Nahon, culinary historian and interpreter of African American history with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation. Nell Stokes, long time community activist and supporter of UREC will share her poetry. Maggie D’Aversa, weaving artist, will share her storytelling coverlet.
Saturday, July 5: Frederick Douglass’ What To The Slave Is the Fourth of July, 2 pm. Location: Peterboro United Methodist Church, 5240 Pleasant Valley Road, Peterboro, NY 13134. Parts of the famous 1852 speech to be delivered by Owen Corpin.
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Sunday, July 6: Water Music New York: More Voices – Schuylerville, 1-10 pm. As part of the Erie Canal bicentennial commemoration, the Albany Symphony, the NYS Canal Corporation, and Hudson Crossing Park are presenting a festival day celebrating the rich, multifaceted history of Washington and Saratoga Counties, with an emphasis on the experiences of Black Americans, culminating in a free orchestra concert at 8 pm that will feature a thrilling world-premiere composition by DBR (Daniel Bernard Roumain) inspired by the legacy and life of Solomon Northup.
Among the many PRE-CONCERT EVENTS & PERFORMANCES between 1 and 6 pm: at 4:00 PM – Songs of Freedom with the Underground Railroad Education Center at the Pavilion.
Author talk re: Douglass.
Tuesday, July 8: Author Talk – John J. (Jack) Hanrahan, PhD, discusses and reads from his history/travel book, Traveling Freedom’s Road: Frederick Douglass in Maryland., 2:00 pm–3:30 pm. Location: the 161 Washington Avenue branch of the Albany Public Library, Large Auditorium, sponsored by the Friends and Foundation of the Albany Public Library.