Borough Park's P.S. 131, a trove of school history
Last fall the Brooklyn Connections staff was approached by two enthusiastic educators from P.S. 131 who had recently discovered fascinating artifacts at their Borough Park school. They hoped to use the artifacts to inform a school history research project with a select group of 5th grade students in collaboration with Brooklyn Connections. Given our love of school history (see To Number a School, We Don't Need No Education, Brooklyn Schools: A Look at Ephemera and More, Welcome to M.S. 57), it should come as no surprise to our faithful readers that we jumped at the…
Everybody Loves a Parade
Born in 1846, William Cody, better known by his stage name Buffalo Bill, was a jack-of-all-trades when it came to the American West. He rode for the Pony Express, scouted for the Union during the Civil War, and rode against various Native American tribes during the period of westward expansion. His stories would eventually find their way to the big top when, in 1882, Cody began his 45-year career as an entertainer and showman by creating a small show that would eventually morph into an extravaganza entitled Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders of the World. He wooed audiences…
Knish Knosh
Join us this Wednesday evening May 28th, when the "world's leading knish expert and author" Laura Silver will be with us to talk about her new book, "Knish, In Search of Jewish Soul Food". Ms. Silver will share with us her travels and research through various countries and communities, as she traces the origins and contemporary expressions of this ubiquitous culinary icon that once reigned from Brownsville to the Lower East Side. We'll have a knish reception at 6:30, with the talk beginning at 7:00 p.m.
Researching Reinhardt
If reports are to be believed, Brooklyn has been undergoing some kind of ground-shaking cultural renaissance for the past ten or twenty years. The borough -- once sleepy, then neglected -- is now a ballyhooed land barnacled with oft-parodied "artisanal" this-and-that shops, awash in alternative art-spaces, and peppered with the black and white "gear" of our recently dispatched cagers. Brooklyn is it! Brooklyn is cool! Brooklyn is a global brand, a baby's name! But if you Google "Brooklyn is" you will also see the gloomy auto-fill death of this shangrila not too far…
A Library for Children -- the Stone Avenue Branch
The Stone Avenue Library Branch has stood at 581 Mother Gaston Boulevard for 100 years, and has recently celebrated that fact with a renovation and re-opening party. Of course, the street wasn't called Mother Gaston when the branch was built -- that came later, after local activist Rosetta "Mother" Gaston opened the Heritage House as an education and community center in this very library. Another name change worth noting is that of the branch itself. Now known as the Stone Avenue Library, it first opened its doors in 1914 as the Brownsville Children's Library --…
Author Talk: The History of Pizza, Wednesday, April 30th 7pm
“The History of Pizza in New York” with Scott WienerWednesday, April 30th 2014, 7:00pm Brooklyn Collection, Second Floor, Central Library Everyone loves pizza. Scott Wiener, however, loves pizza more than most people. In fact, he transitioned from a pizza enthusiast who dragged his friends on pizza adventures to a nationally-known “pizza expert.” He runs multiple highly-rated tours of pizzerias in NYC, writes a column for a pizza trade magazine, holds a Guinness World Record for the largest collection of pizza boxes, and even wrote a book titled Viva La Pizza! The art…
Come see Doin' It In the Park
Come to the Brooklyn Public Central Library on Thursday, April 24, 2014 to see Doin’ It In the Park! The movie will play at the Dweck Center (follow arrows to the basement level). Showtime is at 7pm. Directed by Bobbito Garcia and Kevin Couliau, this independent documentary explores the history, culture, and social influence of New York City’s summer basketball scene. As we all know, pick-up baseball is a way of life in New York City – according to the filmmakers, there are 700+outdoor courts and an estimated 500,000 players. And despite the summer heat, there’s…
Kingsborough Golden Anniversary
Brooklynology is happy to present a guest blogger this week, historian John Manbeck. After 32 years teaching English at Kingsborough Community College and eight years as Brooklyn Borough Historian, Manbeck continued to write a column for The Brooklyn Daily Eagle for another eight years. He has authored/edited nine books on Brooklyn history and is now writing fiction. Back in 1967, I was looking for a job. I had just returned from a two year grant as a Fulbright professor at Helsinki University in Finland and applied for a professorial position at Kingsborough Community College in Manhattan…
The Eagle has Landed!
Yes, the long wait is over! The Brooklyn Daily Eagle newspaper is available in its entirety (or as near as we can hope to get to its entirety) as a free, searchable database online. Those who have used our Brooklyn Daily Eagle Online database, which offered the Eagle from 1841 to 1902, will be pleased to learn that the second half of the Eagle, 1903 to 1955, is finally open for research online. You can search the database, browse specific dates of the paper, print or save articles, and share them through the social media outlet of your choice through our new historic…
20 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Brooklyn
We've become a monoculture of list readers. With the advent of Buzzfeed and the like, we've grown accustomed to sifting though these monotonous lists to identify if we saw that movie or had that toy as a child. Admit it, you totally read these articles. Did you see the one about the 58 worst things that happen on social media? Or the 19 questions people with moustaches are tired of hearing? And don't get me started on all the quizzes. Recently, while scrolling through my newsfeed, I came across a Buzzfeed article about the 60 things you probably didn't know about New…
More Than Just a Name: Overton Tremper
As an undergraduate studing history, I've enjoyed spending my past semester interning at the Brooklyn Collection. Because of my love for all things sports, I jumped at the opportunity to help create an exhibit focused on the history of sports in Brooklyn. I quickly realized that there's so much more to Brooklyn's sports history than the Brooklyn Dodgers! I sorted through hundreds of old photographs, newspaper clippings, and even yearbooks to create a diverse representation of sports in Brooklyn. Come check out the display in the Brooklyn Collection (on the 2nd floor balcony…
Brooklyn Connections Educators Take on ABQ for NCHE Conference
Earlier this month, Brooklyn Connections educators – Christine, Kaitlin and Brendan – descended on Albuquerque, New Mexico for the annual National Council for History Education (NCHE) Conference. Christine Kaitlin Brendan Excitement over this conference was twofold; well maybe three if you count the added bonus of temporarily escaping winter’s reach for a few glorious days … Santa Clara, NM … ok, twofold: 1) it offered the opportunity to replace our educator hats with those of students eager to soak up historical antidotes and best practices…
Brooklyn Bounce: book presentation and meeting with the author, Jake Appleman
The book "Brooklyn Bounce: The Highs and Lows of Nets Basketball's Historic First Season in the Borough" documents the first year of the Brooklyn Nets. The arrival of the team and the rise of the Barclays Center was accompanied by much public discussion, heated at times. The sports writer Jake Appleman shadowed the team for the first year in Brooklyn and chronicled its many (sometimes unexpected) highs and lows. To prepare yourself for the conversation, please take a look at the interview with Jake Appleman. Join us this Wednesday evening, March 26, at 7:00p.m. in the Brooklyn…
Prospect Park, Two by Two - Part Two
This is the second part of a two-part blog post on the Prospect Park Zoo, read the first part here. End radio silence. "The good ship West Point has been heard from. All fears that the prowling warships of the European combatants had intercepted it and carried off the animals, perhaps to provide amusement for the Kaiser's grandsons or the young Russian Grand Dukes, have been laid to rest" (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, November 7, 1914). A few days later the animals arrived safely but, on the day of the grand parade and exhibition, it rained. A lot. Commissioner Ingersoll postponed the opening…
Prospect Park, Two by Two - Part One
I have always had a fondness for zoos. I used to work with a zoological park in Washington State and volunteered with one here in New York City. I love that even though we live in an urban jungle we can travel to a jungle in Asia or South America for the price of a subway ride (and general admission). Zoos were not always magical places. Many of the early menageries and zoos collected animals by trapping them in the wild and placing them in cramped cages that looked nothing like their native environment. Today, the Wildlife Conservation Society, which runs the zoos and the aquarium here in…
Spring Teacher Professional Developments
We here at the Brooklyn Collection are pleased to announce two FREE professional development opportunities for teachers in spring 2014. The professional developments are open to all English Language Arts and Social Studies teachers who teach grades 4 - 12. Brooklyn and the Civil Rights Movement on May 15, 2014, 9:00am-3:00pm with special guest speaker Dr. Brian Purnell. Explore the Brooklyn Collection's original Civil Rights materials. Learn about the efforts of Brooklyn Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), which included protests, community clean-ups, marches,…
Brooklyn's Carnegie Libraries
This blog post looks at Andrew Carnegie's library legacy in the microcosm of one borough, but those interested in a wider-angle view of the philanthropist and industrialist are encouraged to attend a lecture by Carnegie biographer David Nasaw in the Dweck Center at Brooklyn's Central Library this Sunday, March 2nd, at 1:00pm. RSVP for free tickets here: http://brooklynpubliclibrary.brownpapertickets.com/. An eager line outside the Brownsville Branch library, 1908. In the Brooklyn Collection we have a few boxes of photographs documenting that special, revered category of library --…
Author Talk: "Come Out Swinging: the Changing World of Boxing in Gleason's Gym" with Lucia Trimbur -
Please join us this Wednesday, February 26th, for an evening with Lucia Trimbur, author of Come Out Swinging: the changing world of boxing in Gleason's Gym. Founded in the Bronx in 1937, Gleason's Gym moved to Brooklyn's DUMBO neighborhood in the 1980s and remains there to this day, even as redevelopment and an influx of wealth transformed the waterfront area. A holdover from the "golden age" of boxing, Gleason's itself has transformed through the years; the changing demographic of its clientele reflects broader trends beyond the roped boundaries of the boxing ring. …
And the Medal Goes To...
After watching the Winter Olympic games in Sochi for the last two weeks, I got to wondering, how many individuals from Brooklyn had participated in the winter spectacular? I mean, let's face it: Kings County and Alpine skiing don't really go hand in hand. Where would people practice? I know, I know, there is Prospect Park, and I have seen people on cross-country skis there. But one slide down Mt. Prospect and a mogul skier is headed straight for Eastern Parkway, or over Copley Plaza. I suppose with all the snow and ice lately, officials could turn Flatbush Avenue…
Closing Reception for Artist-in-Residence Elizabeth Felicella, Wednesday, February 19th, 6:30pm
Please join us this coming Wednesday, February 19th, at 6:30pm for a special closing reception. We've had the deep pleasure of working with photographer Elizabeth Felicella during her residency at the Brooklyn Public Library and we invite the public to meet the artist and view some of the images she's captured in her months-long exploration of Brooklyn's Central Library building. The Brooklyn Collection is located on the 2nd floor balcony level of the Central Library at Grand Army Plaza. Wine and cheese will be served.