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From Selma to Montgomery: Stephen Somerstein’s Photographs of the 1965 Civil...

Stephen Somerstein was a 24-year-old student at the City College of New York’s night school and picture editor of the student newspaper when he photographed some of the most iconic images of the civil...

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Manhattan in Motion: Capturing Canal Street in 1986

Panoramas are all about spectacle, and the biggest spectacle in New-York Historical’s current exhibition Panoramas: The Big Picture is Claude Samton’s 1986 photomosaic of Manhattan’s Canal St. An...

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San Francisco is a Ghost Town: The Story Behind Eadweard Muybridge’s Spooky...

Tycoons love to survey their empires. And in the 1870s, that empire was San Francisco. The city was in a period of ravenous growth fueled by mining discoveries like the 1848 Gold Rush and the Comstock...

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LIFE in Pictures: Pop Star Billy Eckstine and the Infamous 1950 Photo That...

Billy Eckstine drove his fans wild. Nicknamed Mr. B, the dashing singer had a voice that was described as a “suave bass-baritone” and a stage presence that, for a time at least, rivaled Frank...

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Scenes from the First Earth Day: Photos from the 1970 Rallies in New York City

Every year on April 22, people around the world pause to rally for the planet. Earth Day has become a global event, part demonstration, part celebration, as concerned citizens lend their support to a...

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Suffrage on the Menu, Part II: The Marble House Conferences of 1909 and 1914

Written by Ina Bort Our last post explored the biography of Alva Vanderbilt Belmont, the doyenne-turned-activist we believe commissioned this plate’s manufacture. Today we explore the first of two...

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When Penn Station Was a Masterpiece

Pennsylvania Station is finally getting much-needed renovation, but no amount of construction will bring back the bygone Beaux-Arts architectural magnum opus of the 20th century. Designed by McKim,...

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Four Christmas Traditions born in New York

With more than four centuries of history, it’s no wonder that so many beloved Christmastime traditions originated in New York. Here are a few highlights, and remember if you’re in the city during the...

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Happy Birthday, N-YHS!

This week, the New-York Historical Society turned 211! To celebrate our birthday we’re taking a look back on the construction of N-YHS’ permanent home at 170 Central Park West. Before settling along...

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When NYC Was Electrified

This week, we remember the 106th anniversary of the Hudson-Fulton Celebration. Starting on September 25, 1909, over a million New Yorkers and tourists enthusiastically joined in the two-week...

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Happy Birthday, Women’s Suffrage!

This week the 19th Amendment, granting American women the right to vote, turned 95. To commemorate the victory, we’re continuing the tradition of the tenacious suffragettes. Join us tonight at 7 pm for...

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Interview With Photographer Stephen Somerstein

On January 16, the New-York Historical Society will open Freedom Journey 1965: Stephen Somerstein Photographs from Selma to Montgomery. This exhibit features the stunning and historic photographs of...

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Lincoln and the Jews: An Interview with Dr. Jonathan Sarna

Did you know that more than twice as many books have been written about Abraham Lincoln than weeks have passed since his death almost 150 years ago? With Passover beginning at sundown, we’re honoring...

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The Legacy of Voting Rights 50 Years After Selma

“Write right from left to the right as you see it spelled here.” Did you print your answer? If so, you got it wrong—it should have been written in cursive. “Spell backwards, forwards.” Did you include...

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The 1970 Women’s March for Equality in NYC

To kick-off our celebration of Women’s Herstory Month, let’s travel back to the groovy days of 1970. Pervasive inequality pushed the Second-wave Feminist Movement forward into the next decade. Its...

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“How Long, Not Long:” Celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Today the New-York Historical Society’s newest exhibit, Freedom Journey 1965: Photographs of the Selma to Montgomery March by Stephen Somerstein opens to the public just in time for Martin Luther King,...

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1915: Women March For Suffrage in New York City

On October 23, 1915, over 25,000 women marched up Fifth Avenue in New York City to advocate for women’s suffrage. At that point, the fight had been ongoing for more than 65 years, with the Seneca Falls...

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Anna May Wong: Chinese-American Star

The first thing to remember about movie star Anna May Wong is that she was an American. She was born Wong Liu Tsong in 1905 in Los Angeles, with Cantonese-American family that had lived in America...

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Happy Birthday, Coney Island Cyclone!

It’s officially summer, which means Coney Island is hopping with locals and tourists alike, enjoying the beach, eating hot dogs, and riding rides. On June 26, 1927 one of Coney Island’s most popular...

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130 Years Ago, Elephants Solved Panic On the Brooklyn Bridge

On May 24, 1883 the Brooklyn Bridge opened to traffic, and though now we know it as a beautiful landmark, New Yorkers of the time were a bit more wary. At the time it was the only bridge spanning the...

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