The Bronx Historian
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THE BRONX COUNTY THE BRONX HISTORIAN Newsletter of The Bronx County Historical Society HISTORICAL SOCIETY June 2018– September 2018 Volume 41 Number 3 3309 BAINBRIDGE AVENUE THE BRONX, NEW YORK 10467 Celebrating A True Bronx Legacy - Hip Hop PHONE: (718) 881- 8900 FAX: (718) 881- 4827 A crowd of spectators gathered in front www.bronxhistoricalsociety.org of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue, a tall high- Visit us on Facebook, Youtube, and rise residential building overlooking the Twitter. Major Deegan Expressway in the West Bronx, to witness the unveiling of a The Bronx County Historical Society, founded in 1955, is a private, non - new street sign. It was a warm day in profit educational and cultural June 2017 when “Hip Hop Boulevard” institution chartered by the New was added as a co-name for this portion York State Board of Regents. The of Sedgwick Avenue. The building in Society is dedicated to the collection, front of which the sign was installed is preservation, documentation and considered the birthplace of Hip Hop interpretation of the history and heritage of The Bronx and its people because it is where one of its earliest from its earliest historical references pioneers, DJ Kool Herc, had lived and A co-naming street sign designating this portion of Sedgwick Avenue as “Hip Hop Boulevard” was in the 17th century to the present. thrown his first parties. Yet, others installed in front of the 1520 Sedgwick Avenue contend that it was in other parts of The residential high-rise on June 8, 2017. The Society disseminates information Bronx where the musical genre evolved by utilizing its collections in The Bronx County Historical Society Collections into a culture comprised of dance, art, exhibitions, historical research, production of publications and fashion, and other traits. Whatever The Bronx County Historical Society documentaries, educational and Collections.debates may ensue as to where Hip cultural programming, the operation Hop music originated, there is of our research library, The Bronx absolutely no doubt that it started in County Archives and two historic The Bronx. landmark house museums - the c.1812 Edgar Allan Poe Cottage and Although Hip Hop is heard in all the c.1758 fieldstone farmhouse corners of the Earth, not too many Valentine -Varian House/Museum of know under what conditions The Bronx Bronx History. was when this popular music genre This newsletter is published three began. Young African-American and times a year as a service to members Puerto Rican men honed in on their and friends. musical and dancing talents Theto Bronxexpress County Historical Society Collections. what was affecting them in their The Bronx County Historical Society communities at the time. DDDDWhen Hip is partially supported through funds Hop was born in The Bronx in the early and services provided by the NYC 1970s, the city was undergoing austere Departments of Cultural Affairs and Parks and Recreation, the Historic measures due to fiscal problems, An original flyer for a city wide 1981 Halloween House Trust of New York City, The leading to the systematic downsizing of dance held at James Monroe High School, featuring The Mean Manchine, Spooney Gee, T-Ski Valley, Bronx City Council Delegation, the basic services such as garbage pick-up Tracy D’, Grandwizard Theodore & the Fantastic Office of the President of the Borough routes, police patrol shifts due to Five, and other early Hip Hop pioneers. of The Bronx, The Bronx Delegations increased crime, loss of employment, The Bronx County Historical Society Collections of the NYS Assembly and the NYS rampant drug use due to the closing of Senate, the H.W. Wilson Foundation, rehabilitation centers, and more. The While today’s Hip Hop music may the Astor Fund, the Lucius N. Littauer city’s fiscal crisis of the 1970s almost speak of lavish lifestyles and other Foundation, The New York Times Foundation, the Verizon Foundation, destroyed parts of The Bronx, leaving a worldy things, let us never forget the New York State Library, the New long-lasting impression of President how and why it started. Here at The Yankee Stadium Community Benefits Jimmy Carter walking through Bronx County Historical Society, The Bronx County Historical Society Fund, Susan Tane, and the New York Collections.Charlotte Street in 1977 as the image we salute the forefathers of Hip Hop Public Library. that made The Bronx a poster child for as they will always be remembered urban decay in America. in the records of Bronx history. The Bronx Historian Page 2 of 4 June 2018 – September 2018 Volume 41 Number 3 PURE GOLD Schools, businesses, institutions, COLLECTIONS DONATIONS and associations in The Bronx are noted The Society’s research library, object, and archival collections are a great resource. We thank those who recently made the following donations (partial list): Grey & Grey LLP th 305 East 149 Street City Island Historical Society: Bronx photographs, c. 1940s. Est. 1987 New Palace Paint and Vivian Davis: Edition of “The Link,” the Service Men’s Christian League magazine; book, Navy Home Center Service, A Short History of the United States Naval Training School (WR) Bronx, New York, 1944- 534 East 180 th Street 1945. Est. 1948 th Naper Settlement: late 19 century photocard produced by New York Studio, Fox Street. Pro Line Contracting Groups, Inc. 1954 Paulding Avenue NYC Department of City Planning, Bronx Office: 14 Sanborn map books, early 20th century Est. 1988 (modifications into the 1970s). Sireci Family Dental, P.C. 2861 Bruckner Boulevard Mary Placko: Bronx-related newspaper clippings, postcards, photographs, map, and various Est. 1983 information, c. 1950s – 2016. Seiferman Family: 2 copies of an informational booklet for the 1945 Bronx County 25th U.S. WELCOME NEW MEMBERS (partial list) Congressional District political campaign of Republican, Charles Garside. Edward J. Birdie Andrew Swartz: Documentation on Robert J. and Inez Nelson Swartz, including school photographs, u Nancy Gonzalez diploma and yearbook; Confirmation dinner invitation; newspaper clippings; birth and death l certificates; wedding photograph and paperwork, photographs and U.S. Army dress uniform jacket of Debra Berg Koster th th i First Lieutenant Swartz, 39 /86 Infantry divisions. Aye J. Mashia e Barbara H. McNenny t FINANCIAL DONATIONS a Cash donations help The Society fund programming, publications, equipment purchases, and Harriet Ohmart Mitchell Palusze build endowments. To double your donation, check with your employer for any available David Stadtmauer Vmatching gift programs. We are grateful for the following contributions (partial list): e Crispin N. Goytia -Vasquez l $10 - $99 $100 - $999 $1,000 - $4,999 SOCIETY PUBLICATIONS: a Barbara McNenny Affiliated Adjustment Group BronxCare Health System Autographed copy, add $10 z Brennan Ortiz Cedric Fergus & Lisa Benton Eastbay Management Group, Inc. q Dara Caponigro EarthShare NYC Gives Farmers Insurance u Donald J. Petersen Friends of Carl E. Heastie Fordham Associates, LLC e Eric Bell Gloria James Fordham University z Eric Ponce Hutch Metro Center Genesis Realty Group Fedelma Duffy Joseph Wolfe Richlin James G. Houlihan Family Second, LP N Frederic Halper Lawrence Barazzotto Langsam Property Services Corp. i Karl Stricker Mary Elizabeth Wendt Monroe College Mary Stoll McCall’s Bronxwood Funeral Home NTim-Addae CPA, P.C. n a North Plainfield Board Ridgewood Savings Bank Sandra Erickson Real Estate Robert Esnard Schur Management of Education Sidney Horenstein Tejeda Driving Inc. W Robert A. Rooney The Shakespeare Club o Roland Riopelle $5,000 and Up $ 15.00 William A. Brady h Sara Bong Lloyd Ultan l Blacks in the SUBMISSIONS FOR THE BRONX COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY ANNUAL JOURNAL Colonial Bronx: Since 1964, the BCHS Journal has been one of the premier history journals in the tri-state region. A Documentary History a The Journal’s articles, written with clarity and scholarly substance, are of interest to all who enjoy $18.00 r accounts of people, business events, mercantile gain, defending the nation’s interest, or the love of oThe Bronx. As an ongoing tradition for Bronxites to share their personal experiences, The Society l is accepting articles for its Journal. Do you have a Bronx story to share? Kindly send in your e article in Microsoft Word format along with 1-2 images at 300dpi as email attachments to [email protected]. Make sure you include your contact information. W The Bronx: Then & Now i $21.99 s BEQUESTS e You can support The Society's work by means of a bequest. The following paragraph is suggested mfor your convenience, for insertion in your will: “I give and devise and bequeath, to The Bronx a County Historical Society, located at 3309 Bainbridge Avenue, The Bronx, New York 10467, incorporated with the New York State Board of Regents, [insert the amount of money or describe n the personal property or real estate] to be used for the general purposes of The Society.” The Bronx Historian Page 3 of 4 June 2018 – September 2018 Volume 41 Number 3 The Bronx County Historical Society’s 18th Annual Golf Tournament Pelham Split Rock Golf Course 870 Shore Road, The Bronx, NY 10464 SAVE THE DATE! Thursday, September 27, 2018 Event program: Golf Packages: 10:00 AM $1,500 Edgar Allan Poe Tournament Co-Chairs: Registration & Breakfast Cottage Per Foursome Mark Engel 11:00 AM $ 400 Poe Park & Shotgun Start Grand Concourse & Individual Player Greg Gonzalez 4:00 PM East Kingsbridge Road $ 175 Cocktail Reception We want to congratulate Dinner only & Awards Dinner Owned by the New York City Mr. Anthony Mormile of Department of Parks, it is Orange Bank & Trust for being For golf sponsorship opportunities, please contact Tournament Coordinator, operated by The Bronx this year’s event honoree. Teresa Brown at [email protected]. To take an ad out in the Golf County Historical Society. The Journal, please contact Megan Pavlacka at [email protected].