Calling all Hands to the Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence Work Party!

The Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence and associated URHPCR properties need
your help.

Join us to weed, mow, tend the Dr. Thomas Elkins garden, and continue working
on the UGR walking path begun by Summer Youth Employment teens.

When - Saturday, August 4 from 10am - 12noon
Where - Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence
194 Livingston Avenue, Albany 12210

Gloves and tools will be provided, but please bring your favorite tools if you
like

Refreshments will be provided

See you Saturday, August 4 from 10am-12noon!

July 4th Oration: What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?

"What To The Slave Is the Fourth of July" is a Reader's Theater presentation of the political analysis of Frederick Douglass on the experiences of slavery and the hypocrisy of the principles espoused as the reason for celebrating the 4th in the historical present and post-racial context.

Reader's Theater will be followed with refreshments and conversation. Join us
for a rich, reflective July 4th experience!

Please bring your own chair.

Wednesday, July 4
11am - 1pm
Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence
194 Livingston Avenue
Albany, New York 12212

For more information, go to www.undergroundrailroadhistory.org, or call
518-432-4432

What is the Purpose of the Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence - a Conversation

Monday, June 25
6:30-7:30pm
The Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence
194 Livingston Avenue
Albany, NY 12210

The Underground Railroad Workshop is looking for your participation in helping URHPCR articulate the uses and
purpose of the Myers Residence. Continued restoration and fundraising decisions
rest upon how the Myers Residence will be used. Please join us for an hour of
conversation about this important topic.

Questions or thoughts? Call at 518-432-4432 or email at
info@ugrworkshop.com

Underground Railroad Archeology Camp

Last year URHPCR collaborated with the Albany County Historical Association (Ten Broeck Mansion) and Hartgen Archeological Associates on a Summer Archeology Camp for 5th and 6th graders. About fifteen youth participated. The students were assisted in identifying research goals, learning to use the tools and methods of archeology, conducting some limited digging for artifacts, analysing their finds, creating a display and drafting a report. The display was shown at the Art Center on Swan Street which is operated by the Albany Barn Arts organization and the Albany Housing Authority. A report on last year's effort is shown here.

This year Summer Archeology Camp will be held again during the week of July
11-15 for students in 6th - 10th grades. In addition, a number of students from Albany High School will be participating. As with last year, URHPCR is looking for an adult volunteer to represent the organization during the program. The ideal volunteer will be present each day to assist the Hartgen archeologists in their work with the campers. This is a great opportunity to work closely with one of the initiatives of URHPCR's work, and a great way to spend a week in the summer.

Dates: July 11-15
Place: Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence - 194 Livingston Avenue, Albany and Ten Broeck Mansion - 9 Ten Broeck Place, Albany
Time: 8am - 3pm

Please call at 432-4432 or email info@ugrworkshop.com to discuss your interest.

Sincerely,
Paul Stewart

Myers Residence (Underground Railroad house) work party

Saturday, July 2
9am - 1pm
194 Livingston Avenue
Albany, NY 12210

Refreshments will be provided

Contribute to the preservation and beautification of the grounds of this historic gem!

Help prepare the URHPCR properties for the Independence Day Oration program scheduled for Monday, July 4

DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP THIS INSPIRING HISTORY ALIVE!

Questions? Concerns? Call 518-432-4432

While gardening tools will be available, please feel free to bring your own gardening tools if you like. Bring family and friends. Come for all or part of the time. More hands make light work.

See you Saturday, July 2!

UGR Fourth Of July Event on July 3rd

* A July 4th Oration *
“With liberty and justice for all”?

Alethia Jones, PhD Guest Speaker
Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Administration and Policy at the University at Albany (SUNY), with a secondary appointment in the Department of Political Science.

Frederick Douglass’s 1852 speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” challenged the rhetoric of America with the conditions of Africans in America at his time. Today we revisit Douglass’s challenges in light of our modern setting in a new political era.

Saturday, July 3rd 11am — 1pm
The Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence
194 Livingston Ave., Albany

Free & open to all
Bring your own chair — Limited restroom facilities available

Youth activities will be available

Sponsored by
Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region, Inc.
P.O. Box 10851 – Albany, New York 12201
www.ugrworkshop.com – 518-432-4432

An Arbor Hill Saturday

It occurred to me that one could make a day of it in Arbor Hill on Saturday, June 12th. First, one could work on the Stephen & Harriet Myers residence cleanup & workday, 194 Livingston Avenue in Albany, the second of the season from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is part of the work of restoration for what should become a first class historic site. Call 518-432-4432 if you need information or have questions.

Then one could walk over to Henry Johnson at First Street to attend the grand opening of the fifth of five Albany Public Library branch openings over the past six months: the Arbor Hill/West Hill location. Find about the branch, featured in the June 7 edition of the Times Union newspaper, and Saturday's party HERE.

Work party at Myers Residence

Come one, come all! The FOURTH Stephen and Harriet Myers work party for the 2009 season!

Bring your friends and family!

This coming Saturday, August 8th we plan a work day at the Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence at 194 Livingston Avenue in Albany.

The work party will be from 9am to 1pm.

Bring your gloves and we will provide the clean-up bags.

We need to continue the clean up the lot at 190 Livingston Avenue that was once the home of Abram Johnson, the father of John Johnson and Harriet Johnson.
John Johnson built 194 Livingston. Harriet Johnson married Stephen Myers in 1827.

This would be a good opportunity to celebrate some important history and contribute to its preservation.

RSVP if posible to Paul or Mary Liz at 432-4432.

A 4th of July Oration - Liberty and Justice for All ?

Featuring Professor A. J. Williams-Myers
Funded by the New York Council for the Humanities

A founding concept of our nation (Liberty and Justice for All), was challenged by compromises made for the sake of the Union: compromises with slavery, equality, oppression. Frederick Douglass challenged the rhetoric of America with the conditions of Africans in America at his time. Today we revisit Douglass challenges in light of our modern setting.

Saturday, July 4, 11am - 1pm - Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence rear yard - 194 Livingston Avenue, Albany

Plan to Attend: RSVP to 432-4432: Bring your own lawn chair!

Underground Railroad residence clean up

This coming April 4th, there will be a work day at the Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence at 194 Livingston Avenue in Albany. There are some fallen tree lims in the rear yard that need to be cut up and tidily arranged or disposal.

There will also be clean up at 190 Livingston Avenue that was once the home of Abram Johnson, the father of John Johnson and Harriet Johnson. John Johnson built 194 Livingston. Harriet Johnson married Stephen Myers in 1827. This would be a good opportunity to celebrate some important history and contribute to its preservation.
***
Also: Our Jazz Benefit fundraiser is finally set!
Blue Coda Jazz Ensemble with Danny Mixon will play on April 26, 2009 from 4 pm to 8 pm at the ballroom of the Clarion Hotel at 3 Watervliet Avenue Extension in Albany. Light Fare, Cash Bar, Silent Auction. Tickets $40 in advance and $45 at the door. For more information call 436-0562 or 331-5607. This will be a sizzling event so come and bring friends! Tickets can also be purchased off the UGRR web site.

Underground Railroad Clean-Up Day

You can join Paul and Mary Liz Stewart on Saturday, September 13th over at 194 Livingston for a clean up day at the Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence. If you haven't heard, the Stewarts have devoted much of their lives to raising community awareness, stimulating interest and preserving history surrounding the Underground Railroad movement in our region. Bring your yard gloves...rain or shine (9AM -1PM).

Plugging

My Times Union blog post mentions: the Fort Orange club parking lot obsession; the underground railroad residence clean-up; and, hey, Albany Public Library.

MYERS RESIDENCE CLEAN UP

Join in on Saturday, June 7 from 9am - 1pm for the first grounds clean up of the year! The Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence, 194 Livingston Avenue, Albany needs your help to get ready for spring. If you can, bring gloves and tools, but most importantly, bring yourself!

Refreshments will be provided. Call 518-432-4432 with questions or email to info@ugrworkshop.com.