Aquinas Students Honored with Major NYC Award

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ART Praises Group for Educational Use of New York City Archives

The Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York, Inc. (ART), founded in 1979, is a not-for-profit organization representing a diverse group of more than 400 archivists, librarians, and records managers in the New York metropolitan area.

The organization is one of the largest of its kind in the United States, with members representing more than 160 repositories.

On October 13, 2011, at Columbia University, the students of Aquinas Honor Society, at the Immaculate Conception School in Jamaica, were the very first recipients of ART's Award for Educational Use of Archives.

The students were recognized for their dedicated efforts to create enduring and informative learning experiences for diverse communities.

The group was also honored for their critically-acclaimed publications Images of America: Jamaica Estates, published in 2010, Images of America: Jamaica, which was published in 2011. The books were published by Arcadia Publishing.

In an unrelated story, three of the Aquinas students, in conjunction with the Friends of Maple Grove, took part in Maple Grove Cemetery's annual Spirits Alive performance on October 15. The students helped highlight the recent discovery of the Shiloh Church African-American Burial Ground at the renowned cemetery.

The historic church, which was started in 1822, was the first African-American church founded in New York City by Rev. Samuel Cornish and part of the Underground Railroad. The church served as a focal point for many important events of American history -- including the Anti-Slavery Movement and the Civil War period.

Frederick Douglass spoke from the pulpit of the church on numerous occasions, as well as many other famous people from the period.

In the photo below, dressed in period costumes, are Gabrielle Hollant, portraying a member of the church describing its rich history, Tobi Ayeni as Rev. Samuel Cornish, and Aniyah Smith as another member of the parish.

Photos courtesy of Carl Ballenas.

'Spirits Alive!' 2011 at Maple Grove Cemetery

Volunteer actors Tim Dowd and Leanne Mercadante portraying the legendary 19th century Shakespearean actor Count Johannes and his devoted protégé and pupil Lydia Avonia Fairbanks at Spirits Alive, 2010. Count Johannes is buried at Maple Grove Cemetery.

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An Educational and Exciting Pre-Halloween Event for the Entire Family

Queens, NY - Spirits Alive!, a unique and self-guided walking tour at Maple Grove Cemetery, will be held Saturday, October 15, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The annual event features a cast of over 20 volunteer actors dressed in period costumes, all of whom will portray some of Maple Grove’s most illustrious and historical figures from various walks of life. This year, the event will introduce a number of newly-discovered historical figures, which include:

William Nelson, a World War I soldier who fought at the Battle of the Argonne Forest in France.

Elma Stebbins, the wife of famed hymnist composer George Stebbins.

Francis Marsh, a young telegraph operator who survived the Great Blizzard of 1888 and the Great Johnstown Flood.

Madame Helen Bakhmeteff, the wife of the Russian Ambassador to the U.S. in 1917, who was witness to the fall of Czar Nicholas and his wife, Alexandra.

Jane Heath, who was a direct descendant of the founder of Rhode Island, Roger Williams.

Elisabeth Japp, whose husband was the engineer who built the subway tunnels under the East River in the early 1900s.

A nurse from Ellis Island Hospital, who will tell the story of a woman in search of the resting place of her uncle who had died at the Ellis Island Hospital at age 4 in 1921 and was missing for decades.

John McKenney, a Civil War soldier who fought with the Massachusetts Heavy Artillery

LaVergne Bronk, whose ancestors where the first European settlers of the Bronx, which still bears their family name.

Alonzo Adams, a sea captain who became king of an island in the Caribbean; and many more.

The most sensational discovery of 2011 -- at the cemetery -- was the African-American burial ground of the historic Shiloh First Presbyterian Church, whose interred members were removed from the vaults of their church and brought to Maple Grove in 1877.

The vibrant church was on the Underground Railroad and had a huge impact on the anti- slavery movement for decades. Many of the most influential figures during the Civil War period spoke at the church, including Frederick Douglass. Actors will appear as members of the congregation and convey the poignant and powerful story of this landmark.

"Without question, this will be one of the highlights of Spirits Alive this year," said Carl Ballenas, a Maple Grove Cemetery historian and member of the Friends of Maple Grove committee.

Visitors will receive easy-to-follow maps and programs. The ticket cost is $5 for adults, but Friends of Maple Grove Cemetery members and children under 12 are free.

Spirits Alive 2011 is the highlight event at Maple Grove during the Open House NY Weekend. On Sunday, October 16, two walking tours will be conducted at Maple Grove by historian Carl Ballenas at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The starting point will be the old entrance at 83-15 Kew Gardens Road (off Lefferts Boulevard), in Kew Gardens.

Call (718) 523-1876, or send email to cetus@mindspring.com, for Sunday walking tour reservations.

Photo courtesy of Carl Ballenas.

'Spirits Alive!' 2011 at Maple Grove Cemetery

Volunteer actors Tim Dowd and Leanne Mercadante portraying the legendary 19th century Shakespearean actor Count Johannes and his devoted protégé and pupil Lydia Avonia Fairbanks at Spirits Alive, 2010. Count Johannes is buried at Maple Grove Cemetery.

(Click to enlarge image.)

An Educational and Exciting Pre-Halloween Event for the Entire Family

Queens, NY - Spirits Alive!, a unique and self-guided walking tour at Maple Grove Cemetery, will be held Saturday, October 15, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The annual event features a cast of over 20 volunteer actors dressed in period costumes, all of whom will portray some of Maple Grove’s most illustrious and historical figures from various walks of life. This year, the event will introduce a number of newly-discovered historical figures, which include:

William Nelson, a World War I soldier who fought at the Battle of the Argonne Forest in France.

Elma Stebbins, the wife of famed hymnist composer George Stebbins.

Francis Marsh, a young telegraph operator who survived the Great Blizzard of 1888 and the Great Johnstown Flood.

Madame Helen Bakhmeteff, the wife of the Russian Ambassador to the U.S. in 1917, who was witness to the fall of Czar Nicholas and his wife, Alexandra.

Jane Heath, who was a direct descendant of the founder of Rhode Island, Roger Williams.

Elisabeth Japp, whose husband was the engineer who built the subway tunnels under the East River in the early 1900s.

A nurse from Ellis Island Hospital, who will tell the story of a woman in search of the resting place of her uncle who had died at the Ellis Island Hospital at age 4 in 1921 and was missing for decades.

John McKenney, a Civil War soldier who fought with the Massachusetts Heavy Artillery

LaVergne Bronk, whose ancestors where the first European settlers of the Bronx, which still bears their family name.

Alonzo Adams, a sea captain who became king of an island in the Caribbean; and many more.

The most sensational discovery of 2011 -- at the cemetery -- was the African-American burial ground of the historic Shiloh First Presbyterian Church, whose interred members were removed from the vaults of their church and brought to Maple Grove in 1877.

The vibrant church was on the Underground Railroad and had a huge impact on the anti- slavery movement for decades. Many of the most influential figures during the Civil War period spoke at the church, including Frederick Douglass. Actors will appear as members of the congregation and convey the poignant and powerful story of this landmark.

"Without question, this will be one of the highlights of Spirits Alive this year," said Carl Ballenas, a Maple Grove Cemetery historian and member of the Friends of Maple Grove committee.

Visitors will receive easy-to-follow maps and programs. The ticket cost is $5 for adults, but Friends of Maple Grove Cemetery members and children under 12 are free.

Spirits Alive 2011 is the highlight event at Maple Grove during the Open House NY Weekend. On Sunday, October 16, two walking tours will be conducted at Maple Grove by historian Carl Ballenas at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The starting point will be the old entrance at 83-15 Kew Gardens Road (off Lefferts Boulevard), in Kew Gardens.

Call (718) 523-1876, or send email to cetus@mindspring.com, for Sunday walking tour reservations.

Photo courtesy of Carl Ballenas.