Sylvester Manor celebrates Black History this month by taking part in numerous events throughout the region, concluding with the nonprofit’s 7th Annual Black History Month Program on February 28.
Join Curator/Archivist Donnamarie Barnes as she shares the history and heritage of Sylvester Manor through the following events
‘GATHER: Conversations led by Black and Indigenous Change Makers in Suffolk County‘
Devised specifically for community leaders, service workers, teachers, and developers, this Guild Hall series provides a platform for the voices and experiences of various BIPOC scholars, artists, and leaders, providing both lessons on our past histories, and strategies and examples of how to progress forward together. The cost is $35 per session. Click here to register.
- February 1: The Art of Water with Courtney M. Leonard
- February 8: Plain Sight Project with Donnamarie Barnes and David E. Rattray
- February 15: Preservation and Community with Dr. Georgette Grier-Key
Plain Sight Project at The Parrish Art Museum
Barnes and Rattray are scheduled speakers for the Parrish Art Museum’s Friday Nights Live! program on February 19 at 5 PM. They’ll discuss ongoing research for Plain Sight Project, which identifies enslaved persons and free Blacks on the East End of Long Island from the 1600s to the mid-19th century and their efforts to project, locate, and preserve burial grounds, habitations, and work sites.
Register at parrishart.org with or without a donation.
‘The Enslaved at Sylvester Manor: Revealing their Stories Through Landscape and Memory‘
Barnes speaks as part of the Dyckman Farmhouse series Talking About Race Matters, a ongoing lecture program exploring New York’s Black History with a different speaker for each topic followed by a Q&A. Sylvester Manor is featured Wednesday, February 24 at 6 PM. There is no cost to participate. Click here to register.
‘Manor to Manor: Shaping America‘
Barnes joins Lauren Brincat, curator of Preservation Long Island for a discussion about connections between the families of Sylvester Manor and Joseph Lloyd Manor in Lloyd Harbor. Eastville Community Historical Society Director Georgette Grier-Key is moderator.
Specifically, they’ll delve into connections through Tammero and Oyou of Sylvester Manor, whose grandson Jupiter Hammon of Lloyd Manor was the first published African American poet.
The program takes place via Zoom; there is no cost to attend but registration is required. To register visit EventBrite “Manor to Manor: Shaping America.”
About the featured image: The illustration shows a rudimentary method of pounding grain, a tedious, but essential job, often delegated to an enslaved worker. It was one of 230 illustrations in an 1842 book about the history of New York State.
[Editor’s note: This post has been updated to add an appearance by Donnamarie Barnes and David Rattray at the Parrish Art Museum, as well as registration details for the ‘Manor to Manor’ program.]
