N-YHS Strategic Vision 2008 Fello w-citizens, we cannot escape history. ABRAHAM LINCOLN 1773 Boston 1776 Tea Party United States declares its independence from Britain 1609 Henry Hudson, sailing from Amsterdam, arrives in New York Harbor 1783 1775 Treaty of Paris ends the war Battles of Lexington and U.S. is recognized as a and Concord launch sovereign nation Revolutionary War Front Cover: Robert Havell Jr. (1793–1878) Detail, View of the Hudson River near Tarrytown Heights, n.d. Oil on Canvas N-YHS Strategic Vision 2008 Gift of Harry Peck Havell 1946.179 NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY Strategic Vision 2008 1789 George Washington becomes fi rst U.S. president 1787 1803 Convention Marbury v. Madison delegates approve establishes Supreme Court’s U.S. Constitution power of judicial review 1791 1788 Bill of Rights New York becomes ratifi ed and nation’s capital becomes part of (until 1790) U.S. Constitution 1803 President Jefferson purchases Louisiana Territory N-YHS Strategic1 Vision 2008 Founded in 1804 by distinguished citizens of New York, the New-York Historical Society is dedicated to increasing worldwide understanding of American history through exhibitions, public programs, online outreach, and research that reveal the dynamism of history and its infl uence on the world of today. Our holdings cover four centuries of American history and comprise one of the world’s greatest collections of historical artifacts, American art, and other materials documenting the history of the United States as seen through the prism of New York City and State. Forty thousand of the Historical Society’s most treasured works are permanently held on our premises in the Henry Luce III Center for the Study of American Culture. Our collections provide the foundation for exploration of the nation’s richly layered past and support the Society’s mission to provide a forum for debate and examination of issues surrounding the making and meaning of history. American Flag, U.S.A. ca. 1830–1880 (66.7 x 87 cm) Wool, cotton 1939.559 2 N-YHS Strategic Vision 2008 Dear Friends, As Chairman of the Board and President of the Our exhibitions on Alexander Hamilton, on New-York Historical Society, we’re happy to New York’s seminal role in American slavery share with you the Board’s new strategic vision from the Colonial Era through the Civil War, on and our plan to build a preeminent institution of Asher B. Durand, on the Hudson River School, American history. We’re engaging crowds in the on the September 11th attacks, and on Washington thrilling chronicle of New York and the nation and Lafayette have attracted universal critical by capitalizing on our unparalleled Museum and praise. We draw more than 250,000 people each Library holdings, which together represent one year to our historic building, where they fi nd an of the world’s premier collections of documents, increasingly invigorating experience. art, and artifacts relating to American history. Our ambitious agenda includes creating a twenty-fi rst The New-York Historical Society – New York’s century building, educating students, engaging the fi rst museum – sits on Central Park West at 77th public, and promoting scholarship. Street, next door to the American Museum of Natural History, a few blocks north of Lincoln Groundbreaking exhibitions are the cornerstone Center, and a short walk across Central Park from of our efforts to engage more people in the past, as The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Construction we bring history to life through paintings, prints, beginning in January 2008 will create a dynamic, photographs, and audio and interactive components. user-friendly space to better showcase exceptional 1849 California Gold Rush 1805 1820 1863 Lewis and Clark Missouri Compromise Battle of Gettysburg reach the regulates slavery in followed by Pacifi c Ocean western territories Lincoln’s address 1814 Francis Scott Key writes the Star Spangled Banner 1836 poem that later Santa Anna 1862 becomes the offi cial victorious at the Alamo Abraham Lincoln issues the national anthem Emancipation Proclamation 3 N-YHS Strategic Vision 2008 The Society, founded in 1804, The Historical Society’s building had its fi rst home in New York’s on Central Park West was City Hall, which was then located erected in 1906. at Wall and Nassau Streets. collections and exhibitions, while housing history homes and schools. If you want to learn about education programs that already reach more than history, the New-York Historical Society will 3,000 history teachers and more than 150,000 provide what you need. New York schoolchildren each year. Looking beyond the traditional model of historical Our renovated building will include a modern societies, we’re also launching a Graduate Institute auditorium featuring a multimedia orientation fi lm to promote scholarship and teaching on the to convey dramatically the excitement of history. Constitution and the Founding Era. As the Through creative use of digital technology, a primary repository of historical materials related state-of-the-art website, and effective curricular to the history of New York and the early nation, materials for history teachers, we’ll reach people our Library will be able to fulfi ll its destiny as a across the world who will experience and use our leading center of research and scholarship for the collections, programs, and exhibitions from their study of North American and regional history. 1919 Treaty of Versailles 1903 ends WWI 1883 Wright Brothers Brooklyn Bridge fl y the fi rst opens to the public successful airplane 1865 1917 1929 Confederate Gen. U.S. enters Black Tuesday Robert E. Lee WWI on the side signals the start of surrenders to Union of the Allies the Great Depression Gen. U.S. Grant at Appomattox 4 N-YHS Strategic Vision 2008 In addition to our extraordinary collections, As even the casual student knows, our democracy building, and location, our Board of Trustees was founded on the belief that an informed, makes a powerful contribution. Our Trustees engaged citizenry is a country’s best ruler. History are not only generous but also deeply involved also teaches us that a nation’s stability is enhanced in increasing our impact on historical literacy. when its people share a collective understanding Two Board members – Richard Gilder and Lewis of its story. Too few Americans today grasp even Lehrman – have deposited their world-renowned the basic elements of our nation’s history, and thus collection of American historical documents at are ill-prepared to carry out their roles as effective the Historical Society, and the Gilder Lehrman citizens who come together in a cohesive society. Institute collaborates with us on several We aim to change that. programs and educational initiatives. We have an enthusiastic and growing cadre of donors and Along with our entire Board, Museum Director supporters, including members of the Chairman’s Linda S. Ferber, and Library Director Jean Ashton, Council who convene each spring at a Weekend we’re enthusiastically committed to providing a with History to talk with dozens of historians and unique opportunity for millions of Americans, enjoy panel discussions and a private, close-up teaching them new things about their history, look at our treasures and collections. The Weekend connecting the past to their present-day lives, and is the culmination of activities throughout the expanding their thinking. We invite you to learn year – a panoply of lectures, events, private tours, more, to get involved, and, especially, to visit our and dinners with leading historians – which wonderful institution. demonstrate the Historical Society’s stimulating manner of engaging supporters. We also award the prestigious New-York Historical Society American Best wishes, History Book Prize to honor the year’s best history book for a general audience. Roger Hertog Louise Mirrer Chair of the Board President and CEO 1994 1954 Widespread use of Brown v. Board of Education Internet and World 1941 ruling by Supreme Court Wide Web transforms U.S. enters mandates school communications WWII desegregation 1969 2004 Apollo Moon landing, Bicentennial of Neil Armstrong New-York Historical Society walks on moon 1945 Enola Gay drops fi rst 2001 atomic bomb, hastening 9/11: Terrorists the end of WWII attack World Trade Center and Pentagon 5 N-YHS Strategic Vision 2008 John Winthrop (1588-1649) Thomas Cole (1801-1848) Contemporary Manuscript Copy of “A Modell of The Course of Empire: Destruction, 1836 Christian Charity written on board the Arrabella, Oil on Canvas on the Atlantic Ocean,” 1630 Gift of the New York Gallery of Fine Arts, 1858.4 ;\fgbe\V\Vbaf @h fXh `geXTfheXf Our Library’s documents include: Our art and artifacts include: • Maps drawn by George • The only confirmed portrait from life of Washington’s cartographers in Governor Peter Stuyvesant, Director General the field, Robert Erskine and of New Netherland; Simeon DeWitt (1778-1783); • Masterpieces of colonial portrait painting • Napoleon’s authorization for the such as Charles Willson Peale’s Louisiana Purchase; Family Group, 1773-1809, and Gilbert Stuart’s and Rembrandt Peale’s • U. S. Grant’s handwritten terms of iconic portraits of George Washington; surrender to Robert E. Lee; • Thomas Cole’s series of five historical • Rufus King’s notes on masterpieces: The Course of Empire, 1833-6; the Constitutional Convention which represent the only • Childe Hassam’s Impressionist winter vision contemporary record of the of New York City in 1918; activities on the Convention floor; • John James Audubon’s 435 watercolors for • 450 of Thomas Jefferson’s letters; the seminal Birds of America; • One of the nation’s largest • Eastman Johnson’s landmark painting, collections of Revolutionary Era Negro Life at the South, 1859; and newspapers; and • Fascinating and powerful artifacts ranging • Innumerable documents relating to from Washington’s Valley Forge camp cot slavery in the United States.