DST Brooklyn ProjectCherish2011

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc Arts and Letters Commission 1990 Project Cherish:

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc Arts and Letters Commission 1990 Project Cherish Mission Identify and Preserve the African American Cultural Identity through African-American Landmarks, Monuments and Historic Places

The Brooklyn Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. organized a committee to commemorate the African American Experience in Brooklyn. The information in this presentation was compiled by the Project Cherish Committee Soror Barbara Haynes Soror Rita Brakeen Soror Belinda Pedrosa :

The Brooklyn Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. organized a committee to commemorate the African American Experience in Brooklyn. The information in this presentation was compiled by the Project Cherish Committee Soror Barbara Haynes Soror Rita Brakeen Soror Belinda Pedrosa Brooklyn Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc .establishes The Project Cherish Committee 1992

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For Our 60 th Anniversary The Heritage and Archives Committee was asked to present to Brooklyn Alumnae Chapter Project Cherish as part of the celebration Heritage and Archives Committee Soror Yolanda Belcher Soror Barbara Haynes Updated in 2011 to reflect other significant sites to the African American Experience in Brooklyn 2011 The 60th Anniversary of The Brooklyn Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc .

James Ash- First Known African American to Purchase property in Brooklyn 41 Hicks St:

James Ash- First Known African American to Purchase property in Brooklyn 41 Hicks St Site 1 41 Hicks Street Corner of Hicks and Middagh Streets Brooklyn Heights. The development of African American communities in Brooklyn began in 1806 with the migration of African Americans from Manhattan (NYC). James Ash purchased 41 Hicks St. He was the first known free African American to purchase property in Brooklyn. Mr. Ash paid $550.000 in cash for the property Public School #8 is now erected on this plot of land

Public School #8 41 Hicks St:

Public School #8 41 Hicks St

Brooklyn’s Black Belt Fort Greene & Clinton Hill:

Brooklyn’s Black Belt Fort Greene & Clinton Hill Fort Greene and Clinton Hill Successful Business Men-1906 Net worth over $100,000 Comprised of Tailors Baseball Managers Printers Funeral Directors Restaurateurs Caterers Grocers Furniture Dealer Plus many other business owners Dr. Sharon Mckinney 205 Dekalb Ave

African Free Schools:

African Free Schools Colored School 1 Erected in 1827 on Nassau Street. Founded by Henry C. Thompson Response to students cast out of Brooklyn District Schools. 2 nd Location was Raymond & Willoughby Sts. 1883 Moved to North Elliot and Park Ave Currently known as P.S. 67 Colored School 2 Established in 1839 in Carrville Relocated to Weeksville in 1847 on the corner of Troy and Dean St. Eventually it was merged with Public School 83, a white school at Dean street and Schnectady Avenue.

Summary:

Summary In 1843, The Brooklyn Board of Education was founded but segregation of races was still perpetuated. African American children were expected to attend “their schools”. In 1845, the African Free schools were renamed Colored School #1 and #2 In 1867, schools were renumbered and included within the Public School system. CS #1 became P.S. 67 and CS #2 became P.S.68 P.S. 68 was eliminated African Free Schools

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CS #3 originally started in Williamsburgh before 1841. The School adopted by the Williamsburgh Common School in 1844 and established in an old district building in North 1 st St. between 3 rd Ave(Berry St. and 4 th Ave(Bedford Ave) !n 1850 CS #3 moved to the Junction of Union & Keap, referred to as Tenth St. School or known as Bushwick District School #1 In 1855, incorporated into Brooklyn Board of Education as CS #3. In 1867, was renamed P.S. 69 Colored School #3-Williamsburg Union Ave. and Stagg St.

Colored School #3-Williamsburg Union Ave. and Stagg St:

Colored School #3-Williamsburg Union Ave. and Stagg St In 1879, a new building was erected on Union St. near Stagg. Street. Catherine T. Clow, the first African American female principle in Brooklyn, supervised the operations of the school. The school eventually was closed in 1902. However, the Building Remains Intact.

Colored Schools 2 and 3 :

Colored Schools 2 and 3 Colored School 2 Colored School 3

The Bridge St. African Wesleyan Methodist Church:

The Bridge St. African Wesleyan Methodist Church I n 1766 a British Captain, Thomas Webb began holding open air church services in downtown Brooklyn near Bridge and Sands Streets. From these gatherings a congregation was formed: 23 whites and 12 African Americans, both free and slaves. In 1794, the congregation purchased the land and built a church. The Congregation became the Sand Street Wesleyan Methodist Church. Slaves and Freed African Americans worshipped together, but permitted only to sit in galleries…

The Bridge St. African Wesleyan Methodist Church:

The Bridge St. African Wesleyan Methodist Church By 1810, membership increased to 1500 members. A new church was built and renamed The First Methodist Episcopal Church of Brooklyn. Between 1810 and 1817, the African American membership increased. Whites, unhappy with the situation sought to impose a $10.00 quarterly fee to A.A. members to worship in restricted galleries . African Americans withdrew their membership and formed their own place of worship . In February 1818, the African Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church was incorporated. In1819, land was purchased on High and Jay St. and another church was built .

Bridge Street African Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church:

Bridge Street African Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church By 1854, the building of the First Congregational Church at 309 Bridge St. was purchased to accommodate the growing congregation. The church was now known as The Bridge Street African Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church. The Bridge Street A.W.M.E church operated as a station on the Underground Railroad, using the basement to house, feed, and care for escaping slaves. The congregation moved to its present location in 1938.

Bridge St. AWME Then and Now:

Bridge St. AWME Then and Now

Concord Baptist Church of Christ Several Locations:

Concord Baptist Church of Christ Several Locations The church was first located on Concord Street near Gold St and remained on the fringe of Fort Greene until 1873. The Concord Baptist Church of Christ was the first African American religious institution organized in the Fort Greene Ward. Rev. Sampson White formed this Baptist congregation until 1863. In 1873 it moved to Canton Ave near Park Ave. The Rev, William T. Dixon led the congregation for 46 years…

Concord Baptist Church of Christ Several Locations:

Concord Baptist Church of Christ Several Locations The church moved again in 1890 to Duffield St. near Myrtle Ave. It moved to its present location, Marcy Ave and Putnam Ave in 1939 The Rev. Gardner Taylor was Famous throughout the world for his civil rights Participation and leadership.

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Concord Baptist Church Then and Now 833 Marcy Ave

Lincoln Settlement 105 Fleet Street:

Lincoln Settlement 105 Fleet Street The Lincoln Settlement was founded in 1915 by an African American Physician named Dr. Marton Jones and Marcy White Orvington. Ms. Orvington was a prominent white New Yorker who devoted herself to the improvement of all aspects of the African American Life in NYC. The Lincoln Settlement Served “Brooklyn’s Black belt”-Fort Greene Area as a social service center for its day nursery, The Prince St. Kindergarten, a salvation for working mothers. The day nursery eventually merged with the one established by Siloam Presbyterian Church. In 1920, The Brooklyn Urban League merged with the Lincoln Settlement. The Lincoln Settlement was discontinued and the building site no longer exists.

Siloam Presbyterian Church Corner Jefferson and Marcy:

Siloam Presbyterian Church Corner Jefferson and Marcy Siloam Presbyterian Church was organized by James N. Gloucester in 1848 as a mission on Fleet St. In 1896, Siloam organized a free kindergarten for African American children. The Lincoln Settlement kindergarten was merged with this school in 1897. In 1919, it moved to 404 Lafayette Avenue. Siloam Presbyterian is also noted for being a stop on the Underground Railroad. In the 1950’s it rose to national recognition when the Rev. Milton Galamison led the city’s parents in a dramatic school boycott to achieve educational reform.

Siloam Presbyterian Church Corner Jefferson and Marcy:

Siloam Presbyterian Church Corner Jefferson and Marcy Siloam Today

Varick Memorial African Methodist Episcopalian Zion Church 806 Quincy St:

Varick Memorial African Methodist Episcopalian Zion Church 806 Quincy St The Varick Memorial A.M.E Zion church began as The Zion A.M.E. It is the first know African American church in Williamsburg, incorporated in 1835.It was also know as the Williamsburgh A.M.E Zion Church. During its history, the church moved several times. The most stable location was the corner of South Third and Hooper St. from 1886 through 1919. The Rev. Henry M. Wilson served as pastor from 1879 to 1883. He was also minister of Shiloh Presbyterian Church in NYC. It has had several names throughout its history.. In 1894, it was the Union A.M. E. Zion Church, 1n 1908, it moved to Ralph near Bergen and renamed Ralph A.M.E. The church finally settled at Quincey St and Patchen Ave

Varick Memorial African Methodist Episcopalian Zion Church 806 Quincy St:

Varick Memorial African Methodist Episcopalian Zion Church 806 Quincy St Varick Today

Weeksville Society:

Weeksville Society The Weeksville area was named after James Weeks, a steward who purchased the land from the Lefferts family in 1839. The boundaries of Weeksville established in 1839 were Troy Ave, Herkimer St., Schnectady Ave and Dean St. The Weeksville was discovered again in the 1960’s by Jim Hurley and Joe Haynes, two African American Pilots, flying over the area and sighted four small wooden frame houses in the neighborhood. The remaining structures of Weeksville included two churches, Bethel Tabernacle and Berean Baptist Church and the Hunterfly houses.

Weeksville Society:

Weeksville Society Then and Now

Weeksville Society:

Weeksville Society Children of P.S. 242 renamed their school the Weeksville School and first proposed to save these structures as a museum. The children raised the first funds designated for this preservation. In 1970, The Weeksville Homes received officially NYC landmark status. Weeksville Society, through Joan Maynard , the first Executive Director of the Weeksville Society , has grown and is building a second museum. Many hands have helped in Weeksville’s growth and development, including our own President, Soror Eleanor Rollins. Weeksville has produced a number of leading citizens, including Susan Smith McKinney-Stewart-Brooklyn’s first African American female Doctor, born in Weeksville in 1847

Howard Colored Orphanage Asylum 1550 Dean St:

Howard Colored Orphanage Asylum 1550 Dean St The Howard Colored Orphanage Asylum was founded in Weeksville in 1899 as the “Home for Free Children and Others”. The Home was started for freed African American women who came North with children and found themselves unable to obtain residences for themselves and their children. Originally they would try to take the children to the NYC Asylum, but were refused. Initially a Mrs. Tilman housed children in her personal home located at 104 East 13 th St. IN NYC

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Howard Colored Orphanage Asylum 1550 Dean St General O.O. Howard (Howard University) and C.Y. Howard directed youths to better housing quarters in Brooklyn. A building was rented in Brooklyn and in September 1868,the home was eventually incorporated as the “Brooklyn Howard Colored Orphanage Asylum with Mrs. Tillman serving as it’s Directress. The school sheltered youth between the ages of 2 and 10. The home operated under this mission until 1918.

Howard Colored Orphanage Asylum 1550 Dean St:

Howard Colored Orphanage Asylum 1550 Dean St In 1918, the Orphanage moved to King's Park Long island and changed the name to the “Howard Orphanage and Industrial School”. From 1918 through 1956 the School’s mission was education and it emphasized industrial education for African American youth. In 1956, the organization became the “Howard memorial Fund”. The purpose of the Fund was to provide scholarships to aid needy children in their education pursuits, The fund is currently in existence and is managed by Dr, J.H.N. Waring. The original site of the Orphanage is currently used as a bus repair yard. ( Dean Street and Troy Ave).

Zion Home for Colored Aged Dean St ( Albany and Troy):

Zion Home for Colored Aged Dean St ( Albany and Troy) Located on Dean Between Albany and Troy Ave The Zion Home for the Colored Aged was started by Dr. Susan Smith Mckinney-Stewart, the first African female doctor in Brooklyn and the third African American female doctor in the nation The Home was located in Weeksville on Dean Street between Albany and Troy Ave. Booker T. Washington was the keynote speaker at its dedication ceremony. It currently survives as an institution named the”Brooklyn Home of the Aged” located on St. John’s Place and Kingston Avenue.

Citizens Union Cemetery St. Marks Ave to President St:

Citizens Union Cemetery St. Marks Ave to President St The Citizens Union Cemetery was incorporated in November 1851 by an integrated organization in response to white Christian cemeteries’ refusal to accept African Americans for burial. The cemetery covered 30 acres of land in the heart of Carrville, which extended from St. Marks Ave to President Street and between Rochester and Ralph Aves, The cemetery was demolished between 1869-1870 due to the extension of Sackett Avenue. Sackett Avenue is now known as Eastern Parkway.

Crispus Attucks Park Fulton St and Classon Ave:

Crispus Attucks Park Fulton St and Classon Ave . 934 acres of land was acquired by the city in 1926 for use as a public park. It is named for Crispus Attucks, a free African American, who was the first martyr of the Revolutionary War. The city named this playground without authorization. It opened on October 28, 1934. For many years the park was the only memorial named for an African American in Brooklyn.

First Baptist Church of Sheep head Bay 2349 15th St :

First Baptist Church of Sheep head Bay 2349 15 th St Sheepshead Bay Racetrack and the role it played in the birth of the African American Community and the establishment of the First Baptist Church of Sheep head Bay . Race track workers originally met at homes and outdoor locations . In the winter of 1999 Mary Fisher and Sister Mary Woods approached the owner of the race track, William Engelmann about the spiritual needs of the African-American community Later, Fisher received a letter from the racetrack owner giving the congregation the land at 2349 East 15th Street.  The one-story and basement church would be constructed for a cost of $2,870.00 by Theodore McKane, contractor. The racing industry in this section of Brooklyn died in the early 1900's. Mother Maria Fisher passed away in 1930. But their legacy lives on in the First Baptist Church of Sheephead Bay, recently celebrating its 110 th anniversary. On May 16th, 2009, a portion of East 15th Street was renamed Mother Maria J. Fisher Way, in her honor.

First Baptist Church of Sheepshead Bay 2349 15th St:

First Baptist Church of Sheepshead Bay 2349 15 th St Celebrating over 110 years BAC worshipped at the Church in the early 1990’s Street named for the original founder of the Church

2011 More Past and Present African American Sites to Cherish:

2011 More Past and Present African American Sites to Cherish Elks Plaza Lafayette Ave Presbyterian Church MoCada Nkiru Center for Education Prince Hall lodge Skylight Galleries Billie Holiday Theatre United Order of Tents Akwaaba Mansion The Magnolia Earth Tree Center

Nkiru Center for Education and Culture 732 Washington Ave:

Nkiru Center for Education and Culture 732 Washington Ave African/American bookstore, formerly called Nkiru Books. Nkiru is the oldest black-oriented bookstore in Brooklyn. Its intimate setting and passionate owners linked generations of residents and enticed the community to read. The Store carried books you couldn’t find else where and its owners are a valuable resource and educator.

Elks Plaza 1068 Fulton St:

Elks Plaza 1068 Fulton St Home of the Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks Elks Plaza was built in the early 1910s.Th e current Elks Plaza building was expanded several times in the 1910s and 20s to create the current four-story building. In the 1940s, it became the Brooklyn home of the Black Elks, the African American branch of the Elks fraternal organization (the original Elks, founded in 1868, did not admit Blacks until 1973), Brooklyn Lodge No. 32 (the name is still visible today on the building’s exterior) .

Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church 85 S. Oxford St.:

Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church 85 S. Oxford St. Church notable for its efforts in the anti-slavery movement, supporting women in the ministry, working people and immigrants. Founded in 1857, the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church has a long tradition of social activism and community service. Still housed in its original 1861-62 Romanesque Revival building, the church offers space to a myriad of local organizations and plays a leadership role in many important local and national social justice issues

MoCADA 80 Hanson Pl:

MoCADA 80 Hanson Pl Ms. Cumbo created MoCADA after writing her master's thesis on Bedford-Stuyvesant's ability to support a museum. Her thesis found a strong connection between church attendance and museum attendance. With over 80 churches, Bedford-Stuyvesant seemed like an ideal location for her institution, and, in fact, MoCADA's space was originally leased from the Bridge Street AWME Church. The museum eventually moved to a much larger faciliy in the James Davis Building on Hanson Pl, still actively supported by the Bedford Stuyvesant Community. Founded in 1999, the Museum of Contemporary African Diaspora Arts (MoCADA) is committed to the work of contemporary artists of African descent. It is one of a handful of new cultural institutions that have promoted the diversity of the communities.

Prince Hall lodge 70 Pennsylvania Ave:

Prince Hall lodge 70 Pennsylvania Ave This Masonic lodge is the home of the first Black lodge in the United States. It was founded by Prince Hall who was born in Barbados, West Indies which was then under British control. It has a magnificent facade that dominates the block and the surrounding area which has gas stations and industrial buildings.

Skylight Gallery 1368 Fulton St:

Skylight Gallery 1368 Fulton St The Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation’s Skylight Gallery was started in 1972 as a central component of the corporation's Center for Arts and Culture. With a mission of showcasing emerging and established artists from Africa and the Diaspora, the gallery is part of a larger initiative to build community pride and capacity through the arts.

Billie Holiday Theatre 1368 Fulton St.:

Billie Holiday Theatre 1368 Fulton St . Begun in 1972 as a part of Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation’s Arts and Culture Program, the Billie Holiday Theatre brings affordable, quality theater to a community with few venues for live performance. Housed in the Restoration Plaza complex from its inception over 30 years ago, "The Billie" (as it is known locally) has made it a priority to reach out to its local community with accessible, low-cost, relevant entertainment. There is strong community support for the theater-it now regularly attracts over 30,000 audience members during its 40-week season

United Order of The Tents 58 Macdonough St:

United Order of The Tents 58 Macdonough St The building has been occupied since 1945 by The United Order of Tents, one of the oldest lodges for African-American women in the country. The lodge was founded in Norfolk, Virginia by two slave women, Annetta M. Lane and Harriet R. Taylor; and two abolitionists, Joliffe Union and Joshua R. Giddings as a part of the underground railway, assisting slaves to escape to the north. After the Civil War it was formally organized and publicly recognized as a lodge for African American women and dedicated to charity.

Akwaaba Mansion 347 Macdonough St:

Akwaaba Mansion 347 Macdonough St Brooklyn's Akwaaba Mansion opens in 1995 In 1995, Akwaaba Mansion opened as a bed and breakfast to rave reviews. Guests came from all over the country to stay in the elegant mansion. Monique and Glenn Pough are the fifth owners of the Italianate structure, which features original details, such as 14-foot ceilings, ornate fireplaces, intricate parquet wood floors and gaslight fixtures, along with modern conveniences, such as a private baths in each guestroom with Jacuzzi tubs. The Pough’s purchased the home from the Lilly family, a working-class African-American family who lived there for over 50 years.

The Magnolia Earth Tree Center 677 Lafayette Ave :

The Magnolia Earth Tree Center 677 Lafayette Ave Brooklyn Alumnae, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm’s Legacy

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The Magnolia Tree Earth Center was born out of one woman's efforts to save an historic magnolia tree and the three Bedford-Stuyvesant brownstones that provided it shelter. The center has since grown into a full-service community environmental organization with a wide range of programs housed in those original brownstones with the historic magnolia tree out front. In the mid 1960s, Bedford-Stuyvesant community activist Hattie Carthan (1901-1984) discovered a 40-foot Magnolia Grandiflora tree, which generally does not grow north of Philadelphia, thriving in front of three Brownstones. The historic magnolia tree was also preserved, and in 1970 was designated a landmark by the New York City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission. Today there are two magnolia trees in front of the three brownstones. The smaller neighboring tree, planted by the Brooklyn Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc and Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm , was intended as a replacement in case something happened to the older one. The Magnolia Earth Tree Center 677 Lafayette Ave

Resources:

Resources Internet http://www.placematters.net http://www.propertyshark.com Site Websites Brownstoners Blog We have presented short histories, but the in depth stories are fascinating and there are so many more sites to explore. We recommend that you explore our history before the face of Brooklyn is changed forever. There are so many more sites to document. Heritage and Archives Committee Soror Yolanda Belcher Soror Barbara Haynes Chair 2011 Co-Chair