Tall trees, wide open spaces and a relaxing refuge from the noise and hurried pace of the surrounding city, the parks throughout New York come in all shapes, sizes and functionality. Stretching back many generations and for future ones to enjoy, many city parks have become landmarks for communities, and a part of the fabric of its culture.

As an enduring public tribute, parks have long been named and dedicated to outstanding individuals originating from the neighborhoods within which they are located, as well as those with far reaching fame and accomplishments that have positively impacted the community and nation. 

Within the New York City counties of the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, are neighborhood parks, playground and stadiums that honor great African Americans by bearing their names.

Highlighted below are thirty of these namesake parks. Kings County, better known as Brooklyn comes in first with thirteen public parks in the outer boroughs featured herein, whose names pay homage to exceptional black citizens. Queens and the Bronx are tied for second, with five African American namesake parks listed, followed by Staten Island, showcasing one.

These "locally" celebrated African Americans have contributed greatly to the city and moreover, our nation as a whole.  
​

​Corporal Thompson Park
West New Brighton’s Corporal Thompson Square was named for Corporal Lawrence Thompson, the first African American from Staten Island to be killed in the Vietnam War. Corporal Thompson enlisted in the Marine Corps and served with the honor guard in Vietnam. Refusing a medical discharge for a foot ailment, Thompson re–enlisted for a second tour of duty and was killed in action in 1967.

​Arthur Ashe Stadium
This stadium in Flushing Meadows Corona Park honors tennis player Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. (1943-1993).

Ashe's first major victory was at the 1968 U.S. Open, when he defeated several competitors to win the men’s singles title. By 1975, he was ranked the number-one tennis player in the U.S. and became the first African American to win the men’s singles at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
​

​Bland Playground
Named in honor of James A. Bland (1854-1911), a Flushing native who was known as the “world’s greatest minstrel man," Bland Playground is currently located in Flushing.

Bland was a self-taught musician who composed more than 700 songs! He traveled all throughout Europe, from 1882 until 1901, where he enjoyed tremendous popularity and, at the height of his career, he earned over $10,000 a year on tours. He even performed for a number of dignitaries, including Queen Victoria and Prince Edward of Wales.

Sadly, when he returned home to America, his shows were not as popular as they were abroad as vaudeville was the new entertainment style in the U.S. and tragically lost the rights to almost all of his songs. He died alone in Philadelphia. Only later was his genius recognized by music scholars.
​

​Louis Armstrong Stadium and Community Center
The new Louis Armstrong Stadium at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center will debut for this year’s U.S. OpenFlushing Meadows-Corona Park. It is dedicated to the legendary jazz musician Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong (1901–1971), who was also a resident of Corona, Queens from from 1943 until his death in 1971.  His home is now The Louis Armstrong House Museum and it is a National Historic Landmark and a New York City landmark.

​Roy Wilkins Recreation Center
Not your ordinary park, the Roy Wilkins Recreation Center, named for the civil rights leader, is an outdoor public space for community entertainment and outdoor enjoyment.

The park is home to a 425-seat theater and its own troupe, the Black Spectrum Theatre, devoted to performing socially-conscious dramas. There is also a four-acre vegetable garden, which gives local kids and adults the opportunity to grow their own produce, which is quite unique in the middle of New York City. Other park features include a year-round indoor pool, outdoor handball, basketball, and tennis courts.
 
In 1931, Roy Wilkins (1901-1981) began his career with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and rose to the position of NAACP President and was its guiding force from 1955 to 1977. As president, he worked tirelessly to promote voter rights legislation, fair housing laws, and equity in wages. During his tenure he received the Spingard Medal, the highest award given by the NAACP. From 1934 through 1949, Wilkins also served as editor of The Crisis, a magazine founded by W.E.B. Dubois. Upon Wilkins’s death in 1981, President Ronald Reagan called for American flags to be flown at half-mast.

​Tepper Triangle
This triangle honors Queens resident Bernard Adolph Tepper (1925–1966), one of twelve New York City firemen killed fighting a blaze on 23rd Street and Broadway in Manhattan on October 18, 1966.

Tepper joined the New York City Fire Department in 1955. He was was actively involved with his community, serving as a Cub Scout Coordinator from 1959–62, as a member of the United Civic Association of Baisley Park, Queens, and on the Executive Board of the Parents Association of P.S. 131 in Queens. The park was named for Bernard Tepper on April 14, 1967. 

​Charlton Garden
Charlton Garden in the Morrisania section of the Bronx honors the heroism of Korean War hero Sergeant Cornelius H. Charlton (1929-1951) who was awarded a Purple Heart and the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions in battle. When his platoon commander was seriously wounded during an assault, Charlton assumed command of the platoon, rallied the men, and re-launched the attack. Although his platoon suffered heavy casualties, he launched a second and third attack until the enemy position was completely destroyed.

Charlton received both awards while the American military was still partially segregated, and was barred from burial in Arlington National Cemetery because he was African American. In 1989, the Medal of Honor Society located and exhumed Charlton’s grave and re-interred his remains in the American Legion Cemetery in Beckley, West Virginia to rightly honor him.
​

Dred Scott Bird Sanctuary
Within Grant Park in the South Bronx, is a lovely bird sanctuary named in honor of Dred Scott, the slave who sued for his and his family's freedom in the famous Dred Scott v. Sanford case of 1857.

In the trial, that became known as the "Dred Scott Decision", Dred Scott argued that he should be granted his freedom because he lived with his owner in Illinois and territories where slavery was illegal before returning to the slave state of Missouri. Although he lost his case in Missouri state court, his lawyers appealed it to the United States Supreme Court.

The outcome was rather interesting, to say the least - the court found that no black person, free or enslaved, could claim United States citizenship; therefore, Scott was unable to petition the federal court for his freedom. The court also ruled that Scott's travel to free states did not qualify him to become free.

As a result of the court's decision, outrage was sparked in the North and had a powerful influence on Abraham Lincoln's Republican Party and election, the secession of the South from the Union, and the Civil War. Dred Scott and his family became free, through their new owners, on May 26, 1857. Scott died four months later.
​

Estella Diggs Park
Formerly known as Rocks and Roots Park, the park was named after Estella Diggs, the first African-American woman to represent the Bronx in the New York State Assembly.  Born on April 21, 1916, in St. Louis, Missouri, Ms. Diggs attended Pace College, City College of New York and New York University and was in the real estate and catering businesses and a career counselor.

She served as a member of the New York State Assembly from 1973 to 1980, representing the Morrisania section of the Bronx. Her accomplishments include writing more than 70 bills and was responsible for the first Women's, Infants, and Children's program in the state and the first sobering-up station in the Bronx. Estella Diggs Park was dedicated on November 7, 2011. 

​Joseph Yancey Track and Field 
A 400-meter track & multipurpose field comprise this public outdoor facility in Macombs Dam Park, is named for Joseph Yancey, Jr. (1910-1991), co-founded the New York Pioneer Track and Field Club. The club was founded in 1936 as an interracial track team, which nurtured many Olympic athletes, and was the first of its kind in the United States.

Yancey, who grew up in Harlem, served as a Captain in the Army in the 369th regiment and was the head coach of the Jamaican Olympic team at the 1948, 1952, and 1956 Olympics. His 1952 group included the “Flying Quartet,” a relay team that ran the 1,600 meter race in 3 minutes and 3.9 seconds, thereby winning the gold medal in world-record time. He also worked with Olympic teams from the Bahamas, British Guiana (now Guyana), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Yancey’s many lifetime awards and honors included induction into the Black Athletes Hall of Fame and the National Track and Field Hall of Fame. 
​

​Martin Luther King Triangle
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–1968) was a pivotal figure in the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s. In 1963, he organized the March on Washington to support proposed civil rights legislation. There he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. The following year, at age 35, King became the youngest man, the second American, and the third black man to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

​Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968. One of the great American heroes of the 20th century, he devoted his life to fostering tolerance and equality on the ground that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” His courage continues to inspire people all over the world. King is honored with a national holiday on the third Monday in January, which falls close to or on his birthday, January 15th.

Banneker Playground
Benjamin Banneker’s (1731-1806) accomplishments spanned many scientific disciplines. His understanding of physics led him to predict solar eclipses, including the eclipse of 1789. He published the Almanac from 1791 to 1802, which was the first scientific journal produced by an African American. Banneker helped survey Washington D.C. with George Ellicott and Pierre L’Enfant, the French architect who designed the original plan for the nation’s capitol.
​

​Crispus Attucks Playground
This playground is named for Crispus Attucks (c. 1723-1770), an African American killed in the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770. Although little is known about Attucks's early life, he is remembered as a runaway slave from Framingham, Massachusetts, who spent more than 20 years working on ships sailing from Boston.  

In 1768, following colonial protests over the passage of a series of import duties known as the Townsend Acts (1767), British troops were sent to Boston to keep order. The soldiers’ presence, however, only exacerbated tensions between the British and the Americans. On March 5, 1770, Attucks joined a crowd that was jeering at British soldiers stationed in Boston. Panicked, the soldiers fired into the crowd, killing five men and wounding two others. Attucks, standing toward the front of the crowd, was the first killed.

The soldiers involved stood trial but were acquitted, and the Boston Massacre became a rallying cry for radical American patriots who used the incident to sharpen the divide between the British and the Americans. Attucks, the runaway slave whose freedom was always uncertain, became a symbol of the American colonial fight for freedom.
​

​Christopher "Biggie" Wallace Courts
The basketball courts at Crispus Attucks Playground are named for world-renowned rapper Christopher "Biggie" Wallace, who lived a few blocks away on St. James Place and played basketball on these courts. 
​

Dr. Green Playground
In Brownsville, Green Playground honors New York City’s first African-American Chancellor of the Board of Education, Dr. Richard E. Green (1936-1989). Dr. Green received his appointment from Mayor Edward Koch in March, 1988. His term was cut short when he died of a severe asthma attack in May, 1989.
​As Chancellor, Dr. Green cited four main objectives: creating a legislative package to fund new schools, reforming the election process for school board members, giving teachers more say in decision-making processes, and making schools safer and more effective. Dr. Green adamantly believed that children should be "the center" of American culture.
​

Edmonds Playground
Ronald Edmonds (1935-1983) was appointed senior assistant for instruction under New York City Schools Chancellor Frank J. Macchiarola in 1978, where he served for three years. He initiated the School Improvement Project, which focused on discipline and management. He believed that improving schools for the poorest children would raise the performance of all children. At a time when many educators questioned the validity of testing, Edmonds felt that standardized reading and math tests gave students important information about their performance and indicated to educators and administrators the quality of the education being offered at the school.

In addition to his lasting influence on city schools, Edmonds wrote two books, The Negro in American History (1955) and Black Colleges in America (1978).
​

Detective Dillon Stewart Playground
This playground in Prospect Park is named for Detective Dillon Stewart, a police officer who was killed in the line of duty on November 28, 2005. Stewart immigrated from Jamaica at age nine and grew up in East Flatbush. He graduated from Lafayette High School and Baruch College. Prior to serving as an officer, Stewart worked as an accountant at the public radio station WNYC. At age 30, he changed careers and quickly earned his reputation as a dedicated officer with multiple commendations for bravery.

On November 28, 2005, the 35-year-old Stewart was fatally shot after conducting a routine traffic stop. He was posthumously awarded the New York City Police Department Medal of Honor on June 15, 2006. Detective Dillon Stewart Playground serves as a lasting memorial to his heroism.
​

El-Shabazz Playground
El-Shabazz Playground is named for the civil rights leader El-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz (1925-1965), also known as Malcolm X. Malcolm, whose father was brutally slain by the a Klan-like organization called the Black Legionaries, was inspired by the Elijah Muhammad’s teachings while imprisoned for burglary from 1946-1952. Elijah Muhammad taught that blacks should separate themselves from white society. Only by themselves, Elijah Muhammad taught, could blacks overcome their problems in America. Malcolm started using name Malcolm X (the X meant to signify a lost identity stolen by white oppressors).
​

Hattie Carthan Garden and Playground
Hattie Carthan (1900–1984) was a Bedford-Stuyvesant resident who always had an interest in trees. When she noticed conditions in her neighborhood beginning to deteriorate, Mrs. Carthan began replanting trees there, and in the process, helped found the Bedford-Stuyvesant Neighborhood Tree Corps and the Green Guerillas.

Carthan also led the charge to preserve a particular Southern magnolia tree (Magnolia grandiflora) that became a symbol of the neighborhood. The tree, rare in the northeast, was brought on a ship from North Carolina in 1885. Carthan not only succeeded in having a wall built to protect this tree but also spearheaded the successful attempt to designate it an official city landmark in 1970. It is one of only two trees to be designated as such (and after the 1998 death of the Weeping beech in Queens, the only tree still standing).

Carthan continued her campaign by convincing the City to convert three nearby abandoned homes into the Magnolia Tree Earth Center. The brownstones on Lafayette and Marcy Avenues behind Hattie Carthan Garden date to the 1880s and now feature a mural depicting Mrs. Carthan. The Center gained not-for-profit status in 1972. In 1998, Parks named the site to honor Carthan.
​

Herbert Von King Park
Affectionately called the "Mayor of Bed-Stuy", Herbert Von King (1912-1984) is well known for his active role in the community for more than 50 years. At age 20, he founded Boy Scout Troop 219 and later received scouting's highest achievement, the Vigil Honor, for his efforts.

He went on to serve as a member of the the local community board, the Community Theatre Guild, the Bedford Stuyvesant Boxing Association, the Magnolia Tree Center, and more. Von King was the Vice President and Program Director of the NAACP, Brooklyn Branch and was named the first Police Civilian Community Coordinator by the New York City Police Department. In 1983, he received awards from the State Senate, City Council, and 81st police precinct in recognition of his community service. Herbert Von King Park was formerly named Tompkins Park; in 1985, the park was renamed for Von King.
​

Houston Playground
In the early 20th century Charles Hamilton Houston (1895-1950) became the first African-American editor of the Harvard Law Review. Seven years after receiving his law degree from Harvard, he helped transform Howard University into a full-time, accredited law school as vice-dean. He served as the first ever full-time special counsel to the NAACP from 1935 to 1940 and played key roles in advocating for education equality and eliminating racial discrimination in the hiring process.
​

Lowry Triangle
This park dates back to 1877, and was formerly known as Underhill Gore.  It was renamed by the City Council for Rev. Benjamin Lowry in 1982. Reverend Benjamin James Lowry (1891-198Α) was the long-time pastor of Zion Baptist Church, located at 523 Washington Avenue in the Prospect Heights section of Brooklyn.
​

Martin Luther King Playground and the Kennedy King Playground
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–1968) - Civil Rights Leader and Nobel Prize winner. 
​

Shirley Chisholm Circle in Brower Park
Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm (1924–2005), was an educator, social rights advocate and celebrated politician and the first African-American woman elected to the U.S. Congress.  

She was also the first major party African-American candidate to run for President of the United States. Chisholm was born on November 30, 1924 in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. She was a child of Caribbean immigrants from British Guiana (now Guyana) and Barbados. She later attended Brooklyn College and earned a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Columbia University while teaching nursery school. Chisholm became an authority on early education and child welfare. She taught remedial education at 1078 Park Place. Local residents recall Chisholm regularly holding classes in Brower Park during temperate weather. This section of Park Place now bears her name, “Shirley Chisholm Place.”
​

In fact, with all of the publicity garnered to Alexander Hamilton in recent years through the Broadway show phenomenon, Hamilton, it bears noting that that Rufus King did not make it into the show.  ​​The two men were close friends and the youngest delegates at the Constitutional Convention and served together on the five person Committee of Style and Arrangement at the Convention.  ​

History of King Manor
So, how did this Manhattan resident end up in Jamaica, Queens? A number of factors contributed to King's purchasing 120 acres in this growing "country" town back in 1805.  

While serving as U.S. Ambassador to England for seven years, King became accustomed to living in both the city and the country.  Upon his return to America, he decided to create a similar lifestyle and chose Jamaica as the location of his country estate. 

​The aesthetics of the new abode were not as important to King as were the other opportunities it offered, such as open space, access to church and schools and the health benefits of having some distance from the political world of Manhattan, which come through in a letter written by Rufus King to his sons John A. King and Charles King on November 24, 1805:

"It is about 12 miles from town at Jamaica, L.I. The house is not fashionable, but convenient, the outhouse good, and the grounds consisting of about 50 acres, sufficient to give me pasture for my Cows and hay for my Horses."[1] ​

​However, under Rufus King’s ownership, King Manor would be transformed into a stately and lovely home.  According to historic papers, King began making a multitude of significant improvements, even before moving in.

There were also two major additions to the house itself made by King that resulted in enlarging it to its current size.

In 1806, the first addition, a kitchen, was constructed. This kitchen was built from King’s own lumber and finished with shingles purchased from a neighbor.  A few years later, King enlarged the dining room and altered the bedrooms above.
 
Rufus King along with his wife Mary Alsop King, their five children and paid servants would also expand the property to over 150 acres, improve the land and transform it into a working farm.

Walking around the various rooms and sections of the house, it is remarkable to see the differences in appearance between the original portion and the newer additions.  

Learning about this historic landmark could not be separated from garnering an understanding of Rufus King the man, who was both a practical and down to earth man, with no airs. For example, in the dining room, King had a curved wall built, which was a fashionable architectural feature at the time, adding a lovely and upscale look, but also enabled amazing acoustics, (which I can attest to, having had a first-hand experience within the room.)  

​In an effort not to show off to his community, the room's curve was designed only to be visible from the interior of the home, and was constructed from the outside to look squared off, resembling other homes in the neighborhood.

​As we walked all around, up and down staircases and into the various rooms, it was hard not to be in awe of the absolutely gorgeous wide-planked hardwood floors. ​​

 Not to mention the character of the worn steps, particularly on the servants' staircase, which was roped off next to the kitchen in the original portion of the house.

King was also intent on being economical and practical in his decorating and furnishings, giving the appearance of wood paneled walls by using less expensive finishes.  

Three of the rooms on the first floor are designated interior historic landmarks.  These include the Parlor, the Dining Room and the Library.  

​King was an avid collector of books and amassed a collection of more than 3000, most of which currently reside at the Historical Society of New York, for which he was one of the founders. 


Within the library of the home, on a period desk, is a photocopy of an original letter hand written by Rufus King, which was very cool to actually see his handwriting!​

As stated earlier, the estate had a fully functioning farm, as King was a devoted scholar of agricultural science.  In accordance with account book records, the crops his farm grew and sold included wheat, barley, potatoes, corn, strawberries, apples, peaches, and more. Full time gardeners and farm hands worked the property, where he also raised livestock, including dairy cows, horses, hogs, and sheep.  

Rufus King died in 1827, and at that time, his eldest son, John Alsop King purchased the house and farm, following in his father's footsteps as a career politician. The estate remained in the family until John King's daughter Cornelia died in 1896.

King and Sons Contributions to End Slavery
A big part of Rufus and his son, John King's contribution to our country, was their long history of opposition to the expansion of slavery and the slave trade. As a congressman, Rufus King added important provisions to the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, which barred the extension of slavery into the Northwest Territory.

In 1817, he supported Senate action to abolish the domestic slave trade and, in 1819, spoke strongly for the antislavery amendment to the Missouri statehood bill. In that same year, his arguments were political, economic, and humanitarian; that the extension of slavery would adversely affect the security of the principles of freedom and liberty.  

John Alsop King was active, like his father before him, in politics and was also opposed to slavery. In both the New York State Assembly and Senate, he was outspoken about his anti-slavery position and specifically the 1840 "gag rule" which existed to stop the receipt of abolitionist petitions to Congress.

As a congressman, he established an anti-slavery reputation and opposed connecting the admission of free states to the Union with that of slave states. This position continued as Governor of New York from 1857-1859, where he fought for the arrest of “Blackbirders,” which were men who seized free black New Yorkers and sold them into slavery.

Strolling about the residential home first owned by Rufus King and his wife Mary, and later by that of their eldest son, John, was an illuminating experience, as I learned so much about these Queens residents who made quite a mark on the fabric our nation, but seemed to be quite unaffected in their accomplishments.

From the insight bestowed upon us by Ms. Allen, our guide, it appeared that this family's political views were very much in line with their kind values as human beings from the many anecdotal stories she shared and their public position against slavery.

Today
Rufus King Park currently comprises 11 acres, fenced in and housing King Manor. It served as the King family residence from 1805-1896.  In 1896, at the time of John King's daughter, Cornelia's death, the Village of Jamaica bought the house and the remaining 11.5 acres, that would become Rufus King Park. In 1905, King Manor opened to the public as a museum.

King Manor was designated a historic landmark in 1966, with portions of the interior designated in 1976 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

With approximately 10,000 visitors annually, King Manor serves a largely minority and immigrant community and engages its audiences through historic site tours, interactive exhibits, lectures, public programs, and school and community outreach. Collections management, preservation, and architectural, archaeological and historical research are continuous activities at the museum. The museum houses a charming piano dating back to the 1800's originating from London, used during musical concerts in the old "parlor." 

A beautiful sanctuary in the middle of a now bustling city, Rufus King Park and King Manor reminds us of early days when Jamaica was a young village and our nation was in its infancy.  A must-see in Queens!

​-E

 
1. Rufus King to John A. King and Charles King, November 24, 1805, Rufus King Papers, New-York Historical Society (from king manor.org)

For Your Reference:
​
King Manor Museum
King Park
153 Street & Jamaica Avenue
Jamaica, Queens, NY
(718) 206-0545
Email: [email protected]  
www.kingmanor.org
Easy access from:
Long Island Rail Road and Subway Lines E and F

What I love most about local travel and exploration is when I discover a hidden treasure five minutes from my home!!

African American Museum of Nassau County (AAMNC)is one of these! Located in Hempstead, Long Island, it is one of two east coast museums dedicated to showcasing local and national African American artists, culture, history, artifacts and live performances.

Delighted with its close proximity and proud to have a cultural center dedicated to an integral component of American life, I knew I had to feature this museum for Black History Month.

I have traveled the world, visited a plethora of historic sites and world-renown museums, but during my visit this past weekend, my intellectual curiosities were stimulated more than I had expected upon walking through the doors. There was a small tour in progress when I arrived, but other than that, I had the museum to myself early on a Saturday morning, which was delightful.

Amidst storefronts, eateries and car dealerships on Franklin Street, is this amazing non-profit, showcasing a rotating series of exhibits and hosting numerous educational programs and community-based events throughout the year.​

In 1998, The African Atlantic Genealogical Society, Inc. (TAAGS) became affiliated with the Museum, making AAMNC unique, as the first museum to house a genealogical society that provides workshops and consultations for the community as well as individual research instruction into family genealogy. Through their E-Learning Program, visitors of all ages are provided with he necessary steps for conducting research into their genealogical background.

AAMNC has been under the management of TAAGS since February 26, 2012, offering regular tours and a multitude of events.

What's more, in 2005, AAMNC was honored as one of only ten museums, to be granted American Legacy Magazine's "Heritage Award for Preservation of African American History and Culture". 

​AAMNC Curators
As I mentioned, I pretty much had the museum's exhibition space to myself and enjoyed the pleasure of personally chat with Mr. Julius O. Pearse, one of the curators of AAMNC.  He and his wife Joysetta, currently manage the museum, conducting tours and organizing all museum events, and both are noted historians and founders of The African Atlantic Genealogical Society (TAAGS).  

​Not only was I fortunate enough to receive a one-on-one overview of the museum and its origin, but I was also mesmerized by Mr. Pearse's personal accomplishments, historical knowledge and talents as a genealogy expert, all of which he shares generously with AAMNC. 

Born in the city of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and raised on a farm in Marks Creek, Richmond County, North Carolina, in 1953, he moved to Woodmere, Long Island, New York and in 1962, became the first African American Police Officer, in the Village of Freeport. Facing difficult, racial struggles at this time, Mr. Pearse was active in the Civil Rights Movement in Nassau County, risking his job, but having prevailed, served 21 years on the force, and retired in 1983.

A champion for women as well, he fought to create a girl’s track team for the Bayview Avenue School, which ultimately led to the establishment of the first Freeport Recreation Center. As co-founder of the Coalition for a Better Freeport, he planned the  group’s first Dr. Martin Luther King Day celebration in 1981, two years prior to it becoming a National holiday.

Mr. Pearse's wife Joysetta Pearse is executive director of AAMNC and a certified genealogist, historian and published author.  I did not have the pleasure of personally making her acquaintance as she was leading a tour during my visit.

​Mrs. Pearse's book "Black Royals: Queen Charlotte" details the history of this influential royal, who is prominently featured in the museum's exhibition. The book is available on Amazon and through the museum's website.

​Bringing all of their accomplishments and talents to the museum, the Pearse's provide people of the community an opportunity to trace their roots and learn more about their ancestral history.  ​

​Exhibits
A hall dedicated to an array of artifacts comprised of instruments, vases, statues and other objects embodied  much of what I had hoped to see during my visit and I found myself lingering in this area to study the various items. 

​Ernani Silva: The Good, The Bold & The Beautiful
This art exposition features the works of the internationally acclaimed Afro-Brazilian artist, Ernani Silva.​ Born in Rio de Janeiro, Ernani's art has a distinctive painterly style that reflects the influence of African, Indian and European Descent on the culture and traditions of Brazil.

Encompassing the main hall upon entering AAMNC, the vibrant colors and mystical feeling of Silva's work is palpable.  This world renown artist began painting at the age of fourteen.  Having grown up in a settlement that was originally inhabited by African runaway slaves, Silva left for Bahia, "the backdoor of Yoruba and Candomlé" as a young man. It was here that he was able to immerse himself in the culture that included African-based religions, their ceremonies an rituals and his technique flourished.  

 ​The Black Royals
The Black Royals-Queen Charlotte and Queen Philippa is an exciting exhibit that highlights two English queens whose ancestry traces back to William the Conqueror. Their lineage impacts royal houses of Europe, from Spain to Scandinavia; and extends to the leadership of the United States of America.
​

Princess Sophie Charlotte was born on this date in 1744 and what most people do not know, is that she was the first Black Queen of England. ​Charlotte was the eighth child of the Prince of Mirow, Germany, Charles Louis Frederick, and his wife, Elisabeth Albertina of Saxe-Hildburghausen.

As princess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Sophie Charlotte was descended directly from an African branch of the Portuguese Royal House, Margarita de Castro y Sousa. Six different lines can be traced from Princess Sophie Charlotte back to Margarita de Castro y Sousa.

Charlotte married George III of England on September 8, 1761, at the Chapel Royal in St James’s Palace, London, at the age of 17 years of age becoming the Queen of England and Ireland. The Royal couple had fifteen children, thirteen of whom survived to adulthood. Their fourth eldest son was Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent, and the father of Queen Victoria.

Queen Charlotte's African bloodline was not common knowledge and portraits that depicted her African  features, such as those painted by Sir Thomas Lawrence and Sir Allan Ramsey, were rejected at the time, to minimize political interests of those that disapproved of a multi-racial royal family for Britain. During this era slavery was commonplace and the anti-slavery campaign was growing, which was yet another reason painters of the time were expected to play down or soften the Queens' African features.
​

Ramsey's preference, however,  was to paint truer versions of the Queen, which would indicate his anti-slavery position. The Coronation painting by Ramsey, of the Queen was sent out to the colonies/commonwealth and played a subtle political role in the anti-slavery movement.  

Queen Charlotte was quite intelligent, well read and had a passionate interest in the fine arts. She is known to have supported and been taught music by Johann Christian Bach. She was extremely generous to Bach’s wife after Bach’s death. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, at aged eight dedicated his Opus 3 piece to the Queen at her request. Also an amateur botanist, Queen Charlotte helped to establish Kew Gardens, bringing among others, the Strelitzia Reginae, a flowering plant from South Africa.

The Queen, is credited with introducing the Christmas tree to England in 1800. It was said to be decorated with, ‘sweetmeats, almonds and raisins in papers, fruit and toys. Also the Queen Charlotte Maternity hospital was established in London, making it the oldest maternity care institution in England.

Queen Charlotte died on November 17, 1818 at Dutch House in Surrey, now Kew Palace, in the presence of her eldest son, the Prince Regent. She is buried at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. The only private writings that have survived are Queen Charlotte's 444 letters to her closest confidant her older brother, Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.  

Queen Charlotte was the great great-great grandmother of the present Queen Elizabeth II who still lives in the expanded Buckingham House, now Buckingham Palace. Kew gardens still flourishes and is always being expanded.

Many places of importance globally have been named for this remarkable Royal including the Queen Charlotte maternity hospital, Charlotte town, Canada, Fort Charlotte, St Vincent, West Indies, and Charlotte, North Carolina.​

Queen Philippa has been rated #5 on the list of the 100 Greatest Britons. If we go back in time several hundred years, it appears that the very first black royal was married to King Edward III.

Philippa of Hainault was born on June 14, 1314 and was the daughter of William of Hainault, a lord in part of what is now Belgium, an area that had once been ruled by Moorish tribes. 

​When she was nine, the King of England, Edward II, decided that he would marry his son, the future Edward III, to her and sent his bishop to go see the future queen.

What is interesting is that any images that exist of Philippa, do not match the description of her features given by the man the king sent, and more than likely not what she would have grown up to look like:
​
“The lady whom we saw has not uncomely hair, betwixt blue-black and brown. Her head is cleaned shaped; her forehead high and broad, and standing somewhat forward. Her face narrows between the eyes, and the lower part of her face is still more narrow and slender than the forehead. Her eyes are dark. Her nose is fairly smooth and even, save that is somewhat broad at the tip and flattened, yet it is no snub nose. Her nostrils are also broad, her mouth fairly wide. Her lips somewhat full and especially the lower lip…all her limbs are well set and unmaimed, and nought is amiss so far as a man may see. Moreover, she is brown of skin all over, and much like her father, and in all things she is pleasant enough, as it seems to us.”

Four years later Prince Edward went to visit his bride-to-be and her family, and fell in love with her. She was betrothed to him and in 1327, when she was only fourteen, and the next year, when she was fifteen, they married and were crowned King and Queen in 1330.   Her first child, was named Edward, like his father, but is better known as the Black Prince. Many say that he was called this because of the colour of his armour, but there are records that show that he was called ‘black’ when he was very small. The French called him ‘Le Noir’.

Queen Philippa was one of the most well-loved Royals by the English for her kindliness and restraint, frequently interceding with her husband and successfully pleading for the lives of those who had been sentenced to die. She was an avid patron of the arts, a capable regent when her husband was away warring and a prolific mother and known to be the “most royal” Queen-Consort of England due to four of her great-great-grandfathers all having been kings (of France, Aragon, Naples and Hungary).

Queen’s College in Oxford University was founded under her direction by her chaplain, Robert de Eglesfield in 1341 when she was 28. She also brought many artists and scholars from Hainault who contributed to English culture.

​When she died, it is said that Edward never really recovered, and she was greatly mourned by him and the country. King Edward had a beautiful sculpture commissioned for her tomb which is on display at Westminster Abbey in London.

Her line of descendants is remarkably interesting.  Through her son, John of Gaunt, Queen Philippa is ancestor to all British monarchs since Henry IV, including great-great-great-great-great grandmother of Charles I, King of Spain and Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and a great-great grandmother of Isabella I of Castile.

Moving right along to other contemporary notables, according to Burke's Peerage, the definitive genealogical guide to British Royals, there is evidence that our own General Colin Powell is a descendant of Philippa, through Eyre Coote II, an 18th Century Lieutenant-Governor of Jamaica and his African Slave.

​Even more amazing is that this connection to Philippa also links Powell to the late Princess Diana Spencer and her distant cousin President GW Bush.  Talk about connections!!

Upcoming Events
African Adventure Tales - Live Puppetry
Thursday, February 22, 2018
2pm
Great fun for the children!  "Anansi and the Talking Melon" and Liberian tale "koi and the Kola Nuts" come to life with stunning puppetry, spectacular scenery and lively music.
​

Celebrate Lena Horne, The Lady an Her Life at the Unveiling of her Black Heritage Stamp
Saturday, February 24, 2018
1pm 
The event will include the Musical Entertainment of Dolores Wall featuring Big Bruce and the Messengers.  Admission is Free - Donations Accepted

  ​

2. The Essential Vegan Travel Guide (2017 Edition)
Does your vegan like to travel?  We all know how difficult it can be to find places to dine and stay that cater to vegans. This step-by-step vegan travel guide shows you how to research and locate vegan-friendly (or vegetarian, raw, or gluten-free) fare in any city and where a vegan can eat in an city, anywhere in the world.
 
Beyond the food, the book offers hints for connecting with local vegans, choosing a place to stay, packing, and traveling (and keeping the peace) with non-vegan companions
It is available through Amazon.
​
​

6. Box of Donuts from DunWell Doughnuts
​
Manhattan                     East Williamsburg
102 St. Marks Street       222 Montrose Avenue
New York                       Brooklyn
1-646-998-5492              1-347-294-0871
​
Not quite Long Island, but worth the drive to nearby Brooklyn, a winner on Donut Wars on Food Network, DunWell Doughnuts is to die for and will make the day for any vegan and non-vegan alike.  If you are going there in person with your special person, absolutely try their Donut Sundae, which is their award winning raised glazed donut warmed, then topped with ice cream (vegan), frizzed with chocolate and agave.

I can personally attest to how good this is and is worth the drive from anywhere to Brooklyn or Manhattan! Note: they only accept cash.
​

7. Palladium Boots
www.palladiumboots.com
If you are not familiar with Palladium boots, here's a little history - Palladium® was founded in 1920 to make tires for the fledgling aviation industry. After World War II when the demands from the aviation industry were decreasing, Palladium® decided to open a plant in Pont De Cheruy, France, to start producing footwear that was as durable as their tires and in 1947 the legendary Pampa boot was born.  ​

Made 100% of synthetic products including the bottom, which is made of rubber! Available online through most footwear sites as well as through their retail stores, one of which is in Roosevelt Field Shopping Mall. Tanya and I both have Palladium boots, having trekked many miles on our travels around the world, through National Parks and many places!
​
​

8.  Nom Yourself: Simple Vegan Cooking Cookbook
Vegan chef to the stars, Mary Mattern's new book is geared to the newly vegan and vegan-curious. Mattern offers her delectable American-with-a-vegan-twist recipes which include Beer-Battered Buffalo [Cauliflower] Wings, American Apple Pie, and Creamy Cashew Alfredo.
​Available on Amazon.
​
​

9. Italian Dinner at 3 Brother's Pizza Cafe
75 Merritts Road
Farmingdale, NY
www.3brotherspizzacafefarmingdale.com
From pizza to pasta and many other great Italian dishes, 3 Brother's is a leader in vegan eating on Long Island. This is a regular "go to" whenever Tanya is in New York visiting. And they offer non-vegan as well.

Chef Jay Astafa, the brainchild behind the vegan menu at 3 Brothers Pizza, was bestowed the honor of having his vegan pizza named best in the nation by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) back in 2011.  More recently, Astafa competed on Food Network’s “Rewrapped.”
​

​

10. LipSense Lip Gloss
www.lipsense.com
This has to be the coolest lip gloss ever AND it's all vegan!  LipSense is the premier product of SeneGence and is unlike any conventional lipstick, stain or color. As the original long-lasting lip color, it is waterproof, does not kiss-off, smear-off, rub-off or budge-off!

Available in 50+ colors, it is made so it molecularly bonds tho your lips.  It's permeable which allows the Shea butter and Vitamin E in the gloss to moisturize and protect lips from the elements.  You can also create your own color palette by combining colors.

Tanya fell in love with these so much, she began a wholesaler!  So, for the full 411, contact Tanya directly at her website - Sweet Luscious Lips


​

11. For the Frugal Vegan: Eat Vegan on $4 A Day
Who doesn't like to save money and still eat good? Vegan on $4 a Day show readers how to forgo expensive processed foods and get the most flavor out of delicious, high-quality basic ingredients. 
​Available on Amazon.
​
​
​

​12. Bamboo Makeup Brushes Professional Set of 13
These brushes are made with bamboo (the Fastest Growing Plant on Earth) as well as synthetic bristles and not hair from animals. There are over 10,000 silky soft and fine density bristles in the kabuki, powder, blending and blush brushes allowing for picking up and distributing makeup products better, from liquid and creams to powder and minerals. Available on Amazon
​

​

13. Basket of Vegan Chocolates or Truffles
Chip'n Dipped
342 New York Avenue
Huntington, NY 
www.chipdipped.com
 
Phone: (631) 470-2579
Chip'n Dipped™ vegan gift baskets and vegan chocolates feature dairy-free dark chocolate without animal products. They are all natural, certified kosher, and amazingly delicious. In addition, products bearing their Long Island Chocolate logo are CERTIFIED ORGANIC as well. Their creamy smooth VEGAN TRUFFLES are made with real cream -- Coconut Cream!

​
​

14. Subscription to VegNews 
www.vegnews.com
What's better than a gift that lasts all year.  VegNews, the "source for all things vegan"  will keep your special person up on the latest news, travel information and vegan buzz year round.

​
​

16. Chelsea28 Faux Fur Jacket
What girl doesn't like the glamour of "fur" - especially when it's cruelty free!  This adorable jacket pairs well dressy or casual. Available at Nordstrom (Roosevelt Field Mall, Garden City)

​
​

17. Neil's Yard Remedies 
www.nealsyardremedies.com
​Full line of skin care, bath and body, supplements and other wellness products with strict adherence to all natural ingredients, no animal testing or by-products.

18. Double Strap Brown Cork, Beaded Bracelet
This beautiful bracelet adds sparkle and polish to any outfit! Made of double dark bown cork leather bands that are joined with a magnetic clasp, this bracelet is easy to put on and take off. The silvery beads include multi-colored stones that catch the light. There is no nickel in any Cortizza jewelry. The beads are made of zamak, an alloy that combines zinc, aluminum, magnesium and copper. Available on Amazon.
​

​

19. Eco Friendly Hair Treatment
FOS Living13 Nassau Blvd Garden City South
Long Island
(516) 481-5900
www.fosliving.com

Using only organic products for hair, skin, and body of the highest quality containing no ammonia, pesticides, synthetic insecticides, fungicides or genetically modified ingredients. They also use hair color and highlight formulas from several European color lines that are free from ammonia, formaldehydes, heavy metals, parabens, paraffins, silicones and p-phenylenedines.
 

​

20. Homemade Vegan Ice Cream Maker
The Donvier Eco-Friendly Ice Cream/Sorbet Maker allows anyone to create vegan ice cream or sorbet in just 20 minutes! Simply freeze the patented Chillfast® cylinder overnight, add your favorite ingredients, and turn the handle occasionally. No salt, ice, or electricity required. Available on Amazon.


​

21. Dried Fruit and Nut Tray
Harry & David
Tanger Outlets Riverhead
Address: 501 Tanger Mall Drive
Riverhead, NY
​www.harryanddavid.com
​What vegan doesn't enjoy dried fruit and nuts!  Almost as good as chocolate - ok maybe not, but it's still dee-lish!
​

​

22. Everyday Dish: Vegetarian & Vegan Meals for Everyone DVD  
In this 2-hour instructional DVD, 3 accomplished chefs share 15 of their best vegan recipes! Everyday Dish shows it all, from family-friendly meals to comfort food classics to desserts. With step-by-step instruction by chefs Bryanna Clark Grogan, Dreena Burton, and Julie Hasson, it's like having a private cooking class in your own kitchen.

Demonstrations include Italian Neatballs, Rich Brown Gravy, Vegan Chicken Cutlets, Vegan Pork Tenderloin, Chickpea Sensation Patties, Hummus Tortilla Pizza, Lemon Herb Tofu, Sundried Tomato Pesto, Deli Noodle Soup, Dinner Loaf, Tacos & Salsa, Chocolate Cake, Triple Chocolate Pudding, Lemon Lime Bars, and Chocolate Mint Melties. Available on Amazon.


​

23. Bamboo Plant from Giving Plants
www.givingplants.com
Their website encourages people to give plant gifts since they grow.  I couldn't agree more! Everyone loves fresh cut flowers, but they do die rather quickly.  Check out the adorable "love" themed plants available on giving plants.com.  The True Love Lucky Bamboo will last long after Valentine's Day!
​

​

24. I Heart Dogs.com
www.iheartdogs.com
This is truly one of the coolest sites I've seen in a long time. This site was started around the idea of encouraging people to make adoption their first choice when contemplating bringing a new furry friend into their lives.  

Founded in 2014, by Justin Palmer, who was inspired by his rescued Siberian Husky Splash, he started a Facebook page called I Love Dogs. The page quickly grew to over a million fans and in 2015, Justin cofounded iHeartDogs.com with Marshall Morris, an army veteran. Inspired by their passions for helping shelter dogs and supporting our veterans, Justin and Marshall built a line of products that give back to shelters and raise money to provide service dogs for veterans in need.
Each product on the site available for purchase, includes how it provides needs to shelter dogs and includes apparel, mugs, and jewelry items.
​

25. Make a Donation to Your Favorite Animal Shelter or Sanctuary 
33 Warner Road
Huntington, NY 11743
(631) 368-8770 
www.littleshelter.com
There are so many shelters and sanctuaries doing amazing things for animals.  Here on Long Island there are a few, to choose from - no-kill, of course.  One, in particular, that has been in existence for 90 years, is Little Shelter Animal Rescue and Adoption Center.  

Little Shelter is a non-profit, no-kill animal shelter nestled on six wooded acres in Huntington, Long Island. Suffolk County’s oldest humane organization, Little Shelter has been dedicated to saving abandoned dogs and cats and placing them into loving homes since 1927. Age, physical condition, and socialization issues are never criteria for rescuing a dog or cat whose life is in jeopardy. Most of the companion animals have been saved from kill shelters on Long Island, in New York City, and in several southern states. It has won Best of Long Island 8 straight years (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017) for Best Animal Shelter/Rescue! 


Here's wishing'  you and the special vegan in your life a Happy Valentine's Day!!
-Elisa