In our series Beyond the Village and Back, we take a look at some great landmarks throughout New York City outside of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo, celebrate their special histories, and reveal their (sometimes hidden) connections to the …
Beyond the Village and Back: Harlem’s Abyssinian Baptist Church Read More »
Minetta Street is one of the most charming and unique “corners” of Greenwich Village. I say corners, of course, because this one block-long street literally bends at nearly a 45-degree angle between Minetta Lane and the intersection of Sixth Avenue …
Saul Bellow and 17 Minetta Street Read More »
If Beale Street Could Talk is the newest release from award-winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins. The film is Jenkins’s adaptation of a novella by James Baldwin of the same name. The story, based in 1970s New York City, is about mother-and-wife-to-be …
If Beale Street Could Talk’s West Village Scenes Read More »
On December 23, 1815, African-American abolitionist, minister, educator, and orator Henry Highland Garnet was born into slavery. Garnet escaped his bondage and worked hard to fight for himself and the African-American community, eventually becoming the first African-American to address the …
Henry Highland Garnet and the Village Read More »
The Center For Migration Studies has provided GVSHP with historic images in the past, and recently sent us several images of the interior artwork of Our Lady of Pompeii church. The church has stood on the northwest corner of Carmine …
Interior Artwork of Our Lady of Pompeii Church Read More »
On November 1, 1871, one of America’s most influential writers, Stephen Crane, was born in Newark, New Jersey. He is probably best know for his Civil War novel The Red Badge of Courage, which he wrote from his home at …
Stephen Crane: A Greenwich Village “Genius” Read More »
On March 30, 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution was certified as duly ratified, prohibiting the denial of citizens the right to vote based on “race, color, or previous condition of servitude” by state or federal government. This …
Celebrating the 15th Amendment on Bleecker Street Read More »
This is a re-posting of a piece written by GVSHP’s Matthew Morowitz. Sunday, July 9th marked the 198th anniversary of the last execution that took place in Washington Square – the site of our neighborhood’s now-beloved public park. To commemorate …
July 9, 1819: Slavery, Gentrification, and the Last Execution in Washington Square Read More »
On March 3, 1865, The Freedmen’s Savings and Trust Company, commonly referred to as The Freedmen’s Bank, was created by the United States Congress to aid freedmen in their transition from slavery to freedom. During the bank’s existence, 37 branches …
The Freedmen’s Bank in the South Village Read More »
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 …
King’s Assassination Began Fifteen Year Quest for a National Holiday Read More »
The Oldest Building in the Village?: Call it whatever you'd like: antique, vintage, or historic. If one thing is for certain ...
How Bohemians Got Their Name:
On April 17, 1423, an event took place which, implausibly enough, lead to the creation ...
Remembering the Ritz: There are a number of legendary rock venues in our neighborhood, many an integral part ...
Summer in the City: On August 13, 1966, the classic ode to the trials and joys of summer days ...