The culturenoworg's Podcast

Battle of Golden Hill

At John Street Methodist Church, Kaplan discuses the battle of Golden Hill, which he describes as New York's Boston Massacre.

Irish History Tour: Stop 13 - Hells Kitchen Rumble in the Park

Historian James Kaplan discusses the Hell's Kitchen Rumble between the Irish and Puerto Rican gangs that took place near this park.

Harlem: The Capital of Black America (part 1)

Welcome to HarlemNOW's Harlem: The Capital of Black America tour. This is a recording of a walking tour given by attorney and historian James Kaplan and Olivia Kaplan in October, 2009. The tour visited various places of historical significance in central Harlem.
This section of the tour discusses the growth of Harlem from the draft riots of the Civil War to the Great Depression. First considered a German and then a Jewish neighborhood, Harlem began to see significant numbers of Black residents by the turn of the century. Instrumental to this growth were the Black churches and Black-owned realty companies battling against exclusionary housing practices in central Harlem.
This new Black "Capital" was to become the home of many organizations devoted to racial justice, such as the NAACP.

Jewish Arrival - The Tammany Society and 19th Century Jewish History

The Tammany Society, which was a precursor to the Democratic Party, used to meet on Park Row near Pace University. The Tammany Society was pro-immigration and many of its members fought anti-Semitism. At this stop, James Kaplan also discusses important Jewish female writers like Emma Lazarus and Wendy Wasserstein, as well as immigration's influence on the evolution of the Jewish faith.

Harlem: The Capital of Black America (part 2)

This section of the tour describes how Harlem came to be the destination for many people escaping the increasingly violent racism of the turn-of-the-century South, eventually earning the status of The Capital of Black America.
World War One was an important event for Harlem, which saw many residents sent to France to fight on the front lines. Earning the nickname 'The Hellfighters' and decorated with one of France's highest honors, these soldiers returned to Harlem as heroes. But despite their sacrifices, race relations in the United States did not see any of the hoped for improvement - the post-war period in saw several vicious race riots throughout the country.
In the post-war years, Harlem became a cultural center, where important Black artists lived and worked. This period became known as the 'Harlem Renaissance'.

Jewish Arrival - The Tammany Society and 19th Century Jewish History

The Tammany Society, which was a precursor to the Democratic Party, used to meet on Park Row near Pace University. The Tammany Society was pro-immigration and many of its members fought anti-Semitism. At this stop, James Kaplan also discusses important Jewish female writers like Emma Lazarus and Wendy Wasserstein, as well as immigration's influence on the evolution of the Jewish faith.

Harlem: The Capital of Black America (part 2)

This section of the tour describes how Harlem came to be the destination for many people escaping the increasingly violent racism of the turn-of-the-century South, eventually earning the status of The Capital of Black America.
World War One was an important event for Harlem, which saw many residents sent to France to fight on the front lines. Earning the nickname 'The Hellfighters' and decorated with one of France's highest honors, these soldiers returned to Harlem as heroes. But despite their sacrifices, race relations in the United States did not see any of the hoped for improvement - the post-war period in saw several vicious race riots throughout the country.
In the post-war years, Harlem became a cultural center, where important Black artists lived and worked. This period became known as the 'Harlem Renaissance'.

Great Crash of 1929 Stop 2: British Memorial Garden and the Statue of Abraham De Peyster

The second stop on the Great Crash of 1929: Tour of the Financial District is the British Memorial Garden, which was dedicated to the United Kingdom after in memory of the 67 British subjects killed in the September 11 attacks. At this location once stood a statue of Colonial Mayor Abraham De Peyster, which now sits in a Parks Department warehouse.

Irish History Tour: Stop 10 - Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Historian James Kaplan discusses the central role the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus played in Irish Catholic life.

Irish History Tour: Introduction

Historian James Kaplan introduces his walking tour of Hell's Kitchen, which discusses the neighborhood's evolution from mobsters to the successful fight in the 1970's against porno and pimps.