Hugh Hurd: Artist and Civil Rights Hero for the Village and Beyond
Hugh Hurd was a longtime village resident who worked across the arts, labor, and civil rights movements to influence major shifts in how African Americans are treated in America.
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Tag: Martin Luther King Jr.
May He Stay Forever Young: 80 Things We Love About Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (born May 24, 1941) began his legendary career in Greenwich Village. The storied clubs and coffee houses in the neighborhood were the incubators for his formidable talent and work. You’ll find some surprises about him and his connections to the Village in our list of 80 Things We Love About Bob Dylan. We […]
(Even More) Civil Rights and Social Justice Champions in Our Neighborhoods
Village Preservation has long made a priority of celebrating civil rights and social justice history in our neighborhoods.
Groundbreaking Artist and Educator Selma Hortense Burke’s Home at 88 East 10th Street
Selma Hortense Burke lived and worked at 88 East 10th Street from 1944 until at least 1949.
The Pathfinder Mural: Public Political Art in the Far West Village
“The pathfinder mural is a historic political and artistic landmark now nearing completion on a six-story wall of Pathfinder publishing house in New York’s Greenwich Village. The centerpiece of the mural is a giant printing press churning out sheets of paper and books adorned with the portraits of outstanding working class and revolutionary leaders whose […]
How Greenwich Villager Howard Bennett fought to make Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday a national holiday
On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was shot as he stood on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. This ended the life of one of the 20th century’s most revered and influential figures. It also began a 15-year campaign to make Dr. King’s birthday a national holiday — the first-ever honoring an […]
King’s Assassination Began Fifteen Year Quest for a National Holiday
On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was shot as he stood on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Witnesses point towards the fleeing gunman moments after King was shot. This ended the life of one of the 20th century’s most revered and influential figures. It also began a fifteen year […]
Black History Month in the Village: The NAACP and Martin Luther King Jr.
February is Black History Month. We here at GVSHP are celebrating it by highlighting different sites and locations of significance to African-American history in the Village. A great source for this is our recently-released Civil Rights & Social Justice Map. Here are just two incredible entries from there:
This Day in History: Robert F. Kennedy Assassinated
On June 5, 1968, Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, as he left the ballroom after giving his victory speech following his win in the California Presidential Primary. Many believed his primary victory would lead to securing the Democratic nomination for President, and the Presidency. This was one of many assassinations […]
King’s Assassination Began Fifteen Year Quest for a National Holiday
On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was shot as he stood on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. This ended the life of one of the 20th century’s most revered and influential figures. It also began a fifteen year campaign to make Dr. King’s Birthday a national holiday — the […]
A Concert In Honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Today would have been Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 84th birthday. The iconic figure of the Civil Rights Movement, assassinated on April 4, 1968, will be honored with a concert this Sunday, January 20th at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery. As the flyer posted on the fence of the churchyard indicates, the concert will include numerous vocalists singing […]
A Civil Rights Activist and the Café Society
While we look back and honor the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., it’s interesting to also note that one of his early influences and closest confidantes, Bayard Rustin, had a very close connection to Greenwich Village, especially the legendary club Café Society. Bayard Rustin was a pioneering activist involved in the struggles for civil […]