A New York Minute In History

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A New York Minute In History

A New York Minute In History is a podcast about the history of New York and the unique tales of New Yorkers. It is hosted by State Historian Devin Lander, Saratoga County Historian Lauren Roberts and Don Wildman. Jesse King and Jim Levulis of WAMC produce the podcast. A New York Minute In History is a production of the New York State Museum, WAMC Northeast Public Radio and Archivist Media. Support for the project comes from The William G. Pomeroy Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities and a Humanities New York Action Grant. Find us on social media! Twitter: @NYHistoryMinute

  1. Troy Trailblazer: Garnet Douglass Baltimore

    APR 30

    Troy Trailblazer: Garnet Douglass Baltimore

    On this episode of the podcast, Devin and Lauren were able to attend the unveiling of the brand-new Garnet Douglass Baltimore historical marker at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy along with Bill Pomeroy himself. Garnet Douglass Baltimore was the first African American graduate of RPI and went on to a long and very successful career as a civil and landscape engineer. Interviewees: Dr. La Tasha A. Brown, Director of Community Relations at RPI Unveiling Ceremony Speakers: Bill Pomeroy, founder of the William G. Pomeroy Foundation and Dr. Martin A. Schmidt, President of RPI Marker of Focus: Garnet Baltimore, Rensselaer County Devin Lander and Lauren Roberts by the Garnet Baltimore marker. Photo courtesy of Lauren Roberts. Garnet Douglass Baltimore. Image courtesy of the Hart Cluett Museum William G. Pomeroy speaking at the Garnet Douglass marker dedication, April 15, 2025. Photo courtesy of Lauren Roberts. William G. Pomeroy speaking at the Garnet Douglass marker dedication, April 15, 2025. Photo courtesy of Lauren Roberts. Further Reading: Kenneth Aaron, “Troy Street Paved with Family Pride,” Albany Times Union, February 11, 2021. RPI Alumni Hall of Fame. “Garnet Douglass Baltimore, 1859-1946,” The Cultural Landscape Foundation. “Garnet Douglass Baltimore,” Black Past. Suzanne Spellen, “Garnet Douglass Baltimore: Troy’s Landscape Master,” New York Almanac. “The History of Oakwood Cemetery,” Oakwood Cemetery. Teacher Resources: Hart Cluett Museum, Educator Resources Follow Along: Devin & Lauren Welcome to a New York Minute in History. I'm Devin lander, the New York State historian, and I'm Lauren Roberts, the historian for Saratoga County. Lauren Roberts: On this month's episode, we're taking you to a brand new historic marker located at one oh 5/8 Street in the city of Troy, which is part of Rensselaer County. The sign is located at the top of an elaborate granite staircase known as the approach, which connects the city of Troy to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, better known as RPI. And the text reads, Garnett, Baltimore first black RPI graduate class of 1881 lifelong Troy resident, civil engineer who designed Prospect Park and parts of Oakwood Cemetery, William G Pomeroy foundation. 2025. Now many of our lis...

    40 min
  2. Women’s History Month: Sojourner Truth and Her Groundbreaking 1828 Court Case

    MAR 26

    Women’s History Month: Sojourner Truth and Her Groundbreaking 1828 Court Case

    This episode of A New York Minute in History commemorates Women’s History Month by uncovering the groundbreaking 1828 court case of Sojourner Truth, a self-emancipated Black woman who took on a white slave owner to free her young son from bondage. Interviewees: Barbara Allen, author and Sixth-Great Granddaughter of Sojourner Truth and Taylor Bruck, Ulster County Clerk and the City of Kingston Historian Marker of Focus: Sojourner Truth, Ulster County Office of the Ulster County Clerk Library of Congress Library of Congress Further Reading: Barbara Allen, Remembering Great Grandma Sojourner Truth, and Journey with Great Grandma Sojourner Truth New York State Education Department, “Sojourner Truth’s Historic Supreme Court Documents From the New York State Archives on Display in Kingston” New York State Archives: People vs. Solomon Gedney Sojourner Truth, Narrative of Sojourner Truth, 1850. Nell Irvin Painter, Sojourner Truth: A Life, A Symbol, 1996. Teacher Resources: National Park Service: Ain’t I a Woman Lesson Plan PBS Learning Media: Sojourner Truth: Abolitionist and Women’s Rights Activist Consider the Source NY: Sojourner Truth's Fight for African American and Women's Rights in 1...

    37 min
  3. Black History Month: Frederick Douglass in Rochester

    FEB 26

    Black History Month: Frederick Douglass in Rochester

    In honor of Black History Month, this episode will delve into the life and work of Frederick Douglass during his time living in Rochester and discuss the legacy of Douglass today. To help us understand this important story, we welcome very special guest Hon. Malik D. Evans, Mayor of the City of Rochester, NY. Markers of focus: Douglass Home, Monroe County Interviewees: Hon. Malik D. Evans, Mayor of the City of Rochester. A New York Minute in History is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio and the New York State Museum, with support from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. This episode was produced by David Hopper. Our executive producer is Tina Renick.  Our theme is “Begrudge” by Darby. Photographs courtesy of the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. Frederick Douglass, 1879. Photograph by Frank W. Legg, National Archives and Records Administration. Hon. Malik D. Evans, Mayor of the City of Rochester. Photo courtesy of the City of Rochester. Further Reading: Shayla Martin, “2 Black Heroes, 2 Cities in New York: A Journey into the Past,” The New York Times, 2024. Frederick Douglass, The Frederick Douglass Collection: A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, My Bondage and My Freedom, 2023. David W. Blight, Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, 2020. Victoria Sandwick Schmitt, “Rochester’s Frederick Douglass: Part One and Part Two, Rochester History, 2005. Teacher Resources: The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History: Lesson Plans for Frederick Douglass National Park Service:

    31 min
  4. Patriot Burial Markers: Ormsbee Cemetery and the First Rhode Island Regiment

    JAN 29

    Patriot Burial Markers: Ormsbee Cemetery and the First Rhode Island Regiment

    Our new season kicks off with an episode that highlights the war experiences of the legendary  Rhode Island Regiment, a multiracial combat regiment that served through the entirety of the American Revolution, from the Siege of Boston to the disbanding of the Continental Army in 1783. The regiment saw action at the battles of Red Bank and Rhode Island before being transferred to New York’s Hudson Valley where they took part in the battle of Pines Bridge and an unsuccessful attempt to seize Fort Ontario in 1783. They mustered out of Saratoga later that year. The episode also tells the story of Isaac Ormsbee, a white private in the Rhode Island Regiment who took part in the Oswego Expedition and mustered out at Saratoga. He would later return to Saratoga on foot, walking from Rhode Island to the Town of Greenfield, to purchase land there. Descendants of Isaac Ormsbee still live on that land today. Markers of Focus: Patriot Burials: Ormsbee Cemetery, Saratoga County. Interviewees: Dr. Shirley L. Green, author of Revolutionary Blacks: Discovering the Frank Brothers, Freeborn Men of Color, Soldiers of Independence and Eric Schnitzer, Park Ranger and Military Historian at the Saratoga National Historical Park. A New York Minute in History is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio and the New York State Museum, with support from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. This episode was produced by David Hopper. Our executive producer is Tina Renick.  Our theme is “Begrudge” by Darby. Photo courtesy of Saratoga County Historian. Further Reading: The New York State 250th Commemorative Field Guide—Office of State History and the Association of Public Historians of NYS. Shirley L. Green, Revolutionary Blacks: Discovering the Frank Brothers, Freeborn Men of Color, Soldiers of Independence (2023) Gary B. Nash, The Forgotten Fifth: African Americans in the Age of Revolution (2006) Robert Geake, From Slaves to Soldiers: The 1st Rhode Island Regiment in the American Revolution (2010)

    49 min
  5. The William G. Pomeroy Foundation: For History, For Life | A New York Minute in History

    12/04/2024

    The William G. Pomeroy Foundation: For History, For Life | A New York Minute in History

    In this episode, Devin and Lauren sit down with William G. Pomeroy, founder of the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, and Bill Brower, the new Executive Director of the Foundation, to discuss the origins of their shared love of history and how the Pomeroy Foundation is increasing its marker program presence in New York and beyond. Interviewees: William G. Pomeroy, entrepreneur, philanthropist and Foundation founder, and Bill Brower, Executive Director. A New York Minute in History is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio and the New York State Museum, with support from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. This episode was produced by Elizabeth Urbanczyk. Our theme is “Begrudge” by Darby. Further Reading: For information on the Pomeroy Foundation’s grant programs and to apply for a New York State Pomeroy Foundation Historical Marker: https://www.wgpfoundation.org/history/nys-historic-markers/ For information about the Pomeroy Foundation's National Education Program: https://www.wgpfoundation.org/history/education/ New York State Museum: History of the State Marker program. Teacher Resources: Stop the Drive-Bys: A Teacher Makes the Case for Local Historical Markers, American Association for State and Local History. Not Your Usual History Lesson: Writing Historical Markers, National Council of Teachers of English Follow Along: Devin: Welcome to a New York Minute in History. I'm Devin Lander, the New York State historian, Lauren: and I'm Lauren Roberts, the historian for Saratoga County. This month, instead of focusing on just one marker, we have the opportunity to introduce the new executive director for the Pomeroy Foundation, Bill Brower. We were lucky enough to sit down with both Bill Brower and Bill Pomeroy, the founder of the organization, and we got to learn more about what got them interested in markers in the first place, and how the foundation got started, and where they see themselves going in the future. Devin: Okay, well, let's jump in, because I know everybody's busy, especially on your end, I'm sure. And, and I'm going to say “Mr.” So I'm not calling everybody “Bill,” but I can call everybody “Bill” if we want to, but, but anyway, if Bill, Bill Pomeroy, could just introduce yourself and just just tell the audience a little bit about who you are and how you came about to create the foundation. Bill Pomeroy: Hi. My name is Bill Pomeroy, and I am the founder of the William G Pomeroy foundation back in 2005. I moved to the Syracuse area in back in 1974 after coming off of a two yea...

    29 min
  6. New York and the War of 1812 | A New York Minute in History

    09/25/2024

    New York and the War of 1812 | A New York Minute in History

    This episode delves into New York State’s role in the War of 1812, which is often considered America’s “second war of Independence.” With a particular focus on the State Historic site at Sackets Harbor, we learn the particularly important role that New York, and New Yorkers, played in the war. Marker of Focus: War of 1812, Village of Sackets Harbor, Jefferson County. Interviewees: Constance Barrone, Site Manage, Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site and Dr. Harvey J. Strum, Professor of History and Political Science at Russell Sage College. A New York Minute in History is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio and the New York State Museum, with support from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. This episode was produced by Elizabeth Urbanczyk. Our theme is “Begrudge” by Darby. Video: History Happened Here, William G. Pomeroy Foundation https://youtu.be/3Izr1CpHreU Further Reading: Harvey J. Strum, “New York City and the War of 1812,” New York History Review, 2024. Harvey J. Strum, “New York Militia and Opposition to the War of 1812,” New York History, 2020. “Special Issue on the War of 1812,” New York History, 2013. Alan Taylor, The Civil War of 1812: American Citizens, British Subjects, Irish Rebels and Indian Allies, 2011. Richard V. Barbuto, New York’s War of 1812: Politics, Society and Combat, 2021. Teaching Resources: The War of 1812, PBS Learning Media.

    30 min
  7. Hungry for History: Culinary and Foodways History | A New York Minute in History

    08/28/2024

    Hungry for History: Culinary and Foodways History | A New York Minute in History

    This episode focuses on culinary history and the Pomeroy Foundation’s Hungry for History program. We discover that the history of what we eat, and how we eat it, can tell us much about ourselves and our shared pasts. Markers of Focus: Hungry for History Interviewees: Elizabeth Jakubowski, Senior Librarian, New York State Library. You can follow the State Library and learn more about their Tasting History project at: Facebook, Instagram – @nyslibrary and X (formerly Twitter) – @NYSLibrary A New York Minute in History is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio and the New York State Museum, with support from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. This episode was produced by Elizabeth Urbanczyk. Our theme is “Begrudge” by Darby. Featured Image: Salt Potatoes Hungry for History Marker near Onandaga Lake. Further reading: Jennifer Jensen Wallach, How America Eats: A Social History of U.S. Food, 2013. Michelle Moon, Interpreting Food at Museums and Historic Sites, 2016. Libby O’Connell, The American Plate: A Culinary History in 100 Bites, 2015. Annie Hauck-Lawson,

    29 min
  8. Summer at the Fair: A History of Agricultural Fairs in New York State | A New York Minute in History

    07/31/2024

    Summer at the Fair: A History of Agricultural Fairs in New York State | A New York Minute in History

    As New York State prepares to host the oldest state fair in the nation, this episode tells the history of the summertime tradition of agricultural fairs and how they developed from gatherings of learned societies into the popular attractions that we all know today. Markers of Focus: County Fairgrounds, Ballston Spa, Saratoga County. Interviewees: Richard Ball, Commissioner of the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, Joshua Hauck-Whealton, Archivist at the New York State Archives and Sarah Welch, Historian for the Saratoga County Agricultural Society. A New York Minute in History is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio and the New York State Museum, with support from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. This episode was produced by Elizabeth Urbanczyk. Our theme is “Begrudge” by Darby. Featured Image: "A Close Finish", Saratoga County Fair, Ballston Spa, NY. Image courtesy of SCHC at Brookside Museum Further Reading: Joshua Hauck-Whealton, “Farm to Fair,” New York Archives Magazine, Summer 2024. Judith LaManna Rivette, State Fair Stories: The Days and the People of the New York State Fair, 2005. Julie A. Avery, Agricultural Fairs in America: Tradition, Education, Celebration, 2000. New York State Agricultural and Industrial Expo, New York State Fair and Agricultural and Industrial Exposition: 1841-1912, 1912. New York State Fair, Stat...

    30 min
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4.7
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About

A New York Minute In History is a podcast about the history of New York and the unique tales of New Yorkers. It is hosted by State Historian Devin Lander, Saratoga County Historian Lauren Roberts and Don Wildman. Jesse King and Jim Levulis of WAMC produce the podcast. A New York Minute In History is a production of the New York State Museum, WAMC Northeast Public Radio and Archivist Media. Support for the project comes from The William G. Pomeroy Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities and a Humanities New York Action Grant. Find us on social media! Twitter: @NYHistoryMinute

Information

  • Creator
    WAMC
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2025
  • Episodes
    63
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    ©2021 WAMC Northeast Public Radio
  • Show Website
    A New York Minute In History

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