Please join us on the evening of Wednesday, November 30th for the opening of a new exhibit in our display space and a screening of the documentary To Brooklyn and Back: A Mohawk Journey.
The exhibit, Brooklyn, Then and Now, is the culmination of the efforts of our summer interns, Kristi and Anastasiya, who worked with us through the Multicultural Internship Program (MIP) for Brooklyn teenagers. After gaining familiarity with our photograph collections, Kristi and Anastasiya picked historic images depicting their own neighborhoods as they were thirty, fifty, or even a hundred years ago. Armed with a digital camera, a keen sense of direction, and their own avid curiosity, the interns set out to re-shoot those old photographs in today’s setting.
The Sheepshead Bay footbridge connecting Manhattan Beach to the mainland in the 1950s and...
...the same bridge, as it appears today.
Several of their images are now on display in the Brooklyn Collection, and more of their work on comparing Brooklyn's past to its present can be seen at the historic photo website historypin.com.
Presented by Aziz Rahman of the Brooklyn Film & Arts Festival, the film, To Brooklyn and Back, is the personal story of Mohawk filmmaker Reaghan Tarbell from Kahnawake, Quebec as she explores her roots and traces the connections of her family to the once legendary Mohawk community in Brooklyn through the stories of the women who lived there. For over 50 years, the Kahnawake Mohawks of Quebec, Canada occupied a 10 square block hub in the North Gowanus section of Brooklyn, known as Little Caughnawaga. The men, skilled ironworkers, came to New York in search of work, and helped to build iconic New York structures such as the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, the George Washington Bridge, and many others. They brought their wives, children and often, extended family with them.
The Brooklyn Collection is located on the 2nd floor of the Central Library at Grand Army Plaza, and will open to visitors at 6:30pm for a wine and cheese reception. The film screening will commence at 7:00pm. Seating for the screening is limited to 40 people; tickets will be handed out at 6:30.
This blog post reflects the opinions of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of Brooklyn Public Library.
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