Did you know that Jupiter Hammon, one of the first published African American authors, was born and raised in Lloyd Harbor? And, that jazz musician John Coltrane wrote his seminal A Love Supreme at his home in Dix Hills? These are just a few of the fascinating Long Island stories we explore in our blog, Preservation Long Island: Everything Worth Celebrating. Our very first blog post coincided with Black History Month in 2017, and highlighted Long Island’s African American heritage.
Preservation Long Island: Everything Worth Celebrating is inspired by one of Long Island’s first preservation advocates, the late Barbara Van Liew (1911-2005), whose extraordinary work was rooted in a hearty belief that: “Long Island is the Mesopotamia of this country whence springs everything worth celebrating and protecting in American architecture and culture.” From objects to landscapes, archives to fine art, there’s a lot to celebrate on Long Island and we’ll share it here with you.
Featured Photo: Arthur S. Greene (1867-1955), African American Boy Scout Troop, ca. 1930; Glass-plate negative