Susan Stessin-CohnThe first lecture, "Slavery in the Hudson Valley and Columbia County," will be held online via Zoom on Sunday, February 26 at 3 p.m.

Kinderhook, N.Y. (February 21, 2023) -- The African American Archive of Columbia County, in association with the Columbia County Historical Society, announce the launch of In Perspective..., a free lecture series that aims to put into historical and sociological context the lived experiences of enslaved and freed people in the Hudson Valley.

The first lecture in the series, "Slavery in the Hudson Valley and Columbia County," will be presented on Sunday, February 26, at 3 p.m., via Zoom. Tickets are free, but donations are appreciated. Those interested can reserve their spot at www.cchsny.org/in-perspective

The lecture will be presented by Susan Stessin-Cohn, New Paltz Town Historian and author of In Defiance: Runaways from Slavery in New York's Hudson River Valley, 1735-1831. Stessin-Cohn will discuss the information that can be gathered from depictions of runaway slaves — individuals who bravely sought their freedom at great personal peril. A Q&A will follow.

In addition to "Slavery in the Hudson Valley and Columbia County," upcoming lectures in the In Perspective... series include:

  • March 12: "Lived Experiences of Enslaved Peoples in the Hudson Valley" with Dr. Andrea Mosterman
  • April 30: "Occupations & Lifestyles of Enslaved and Freed Peoples in the Hudson Valley" with Dr. Myra Armstead
  • May 28: "The Story of Black Folk: Tracing the Complex and Vast Connections of the Hudson Valley's Early Black Communities" with Dr. Nicole Maskiell

"We are increasingly aware of the importance of exploring and sharing this history with the public. Our hope is that this lecture series will give people the opportunity to engage more deeply with not only Black history, but with American and New York history as well," said Lisa Fludd-Smith, Deputy Executive Director of the African American Archive of Columbia County.

"We are proud to continue our partnership with the African American Archive of Columbia County for the In Perspective... lecture series. These talks, led by some of the nation's leading scholars in African American history, offer a bridge to better understanding the lives and experiences of this historically underrepresented population in the Hudson Valley," said CCHS Executive Director Lisa Weilbacker.

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What: "Slavery in the Hudson Valley and Columbia County," part of the In Perspective... lecture series

When: Sunday, February 26 at 3:00 p.m.

Where: Online (link upon registration)

Cost: Free

Register: www.cchsny.org/in-perspective

Photo: Susan Stessin-Cohn, author of In Defiance: Runaways from Slavery in New York's Hudson River Valley, 1735-1831.

For further information, please email: communications@cchsny.org

ABOUT AAACC

The African American Archive of Columbia County, New York, exists to document, preserve, and share the deep history of Black people in the upper Hudson Valley.

ABOUT CCHS

Columbia County Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) cultural education organization founded in 1916 and chartered by the NYS Department of Education Board of Regents to collect, preserve, interpret and present the history, heritage and culture of Columbia County, New York, for its residents and visitors. CCHS serves residents of all eighteen towns and the City of Hudson. In addition to a research library and a permanent collection of more than 15,000 objects, CCHS owns and maintains the CCHS Museum & Library and three additional historic properties: the National Historic Landmark Luykas Van Alen House (1737); James Vanderpoel ‘House of History’ (c. 1820); and Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse (c. 1850).