“For the horrors of the American Negro’s life,” wrote James Baldwin in 1962, “there has been almost no language.” The history is clear. America gave Black Americans nothing. What freedom we have was earned through blood, toil, grit, perseverance, & courage. After the deadliest insurrection in American history, Black-New Yorkers rebuilt their lives, shaped their destinies & contributed to the ongoing freedom struggle.
160 years ago, in July 1863, a 4-day reign of terror descended upon NYC Black-Americans, who faced targeted violence, persecution & destruction. The riots exposed the deep-rooted racism that permeated Northern society, as Black men, women, & children were brutally attacked and subjected to horrific acts of cruelty. It was the deadliest riot in American history, but it showcased again the resilience of Black America.
A significant number of white Americans opposed fighting in a civil war that would grant freedom to Black Americans. Their concern was former slaves, whom they considered inferior, would compete for jobs at lower wages. Consequently, in July of 1863, a white mob, furious with conscription, targeted Black New Yorkers in an attempt to eradicate them from the landscape. The Union was not as united as it is often portrayed.
If you were Black and woke up in NYC on Monday, July 13, 1863, things got terrifying quick. For Black New Yorkers, there was no reprieve. Black life was dispensable to white mobs & law authorities. The Civil War, poverty, & rabid racism in 19th-century New York explains the events of that week. For Black Americans, the NYC Draft Riots were a heinous episode in an already brutal age. But it didn’t happen in a vacuum.
New Yorkers don't know where our nearest automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are, so when someone has a heart attack, more people die. A new City Council bill would change that. Help improve it & get it passed! Submit written testimony by 10am ET, April 2nd.
Not a New Yorker? We need expertise in #health education & #data. Or do 30 minutes of research about AED public data in your area. You don't have to write a lot! A paragraph is fine.
I will be in #NYC at the #Alzheimer's Association to discuss "The Alzheimer's Journey: #Grief, #Guilt, #Memory, Love." It is a hybrid event (on line and in-person) that will take place on August 20th from 1 to 2 pm.
Officer Mayor claims that god chose him to be mayor "and he placed in the hearts of the voters to give me that authority.” Except that 2/3 of #NYC voters didn't bother to cast their ballots, and many who did, didn't rank him 1st. Some mandate. 🤔
The #MTA is off twitter! If you live in NYC or use the service
(including metroNorth, CT friends!)
Please contact the MTA and let them know they would be more than welcome on the fediverse. They could probably have their own instance "@mta.info" just the way it ought to be.
It's hard to overstate the importance that Sesame Street played in my life.
My parents had VHS tapes shipped internationally, and my parents got not only an American TV, but an American VCR, in France, in 1979 so I could watch it.
When I was a small child, Sesame Street was one of my favorite shows. I enjoyed the animation and complexity, not only the word lessons but life lessons too.
And it absolutely had an impact on how I saw the world, and probably why NYC feels more like home than anywhere else in the world to me.
I was too old for Sesame Street when Elmo became prominent, but I saw the cultural shift it created. I didn't like Elmo or the direction the show was taking.
I'm glad other people are talking about it, because Sesame Street plays such a huge rule in my childhood.
Huh. Are the PBLs on Northern Blvd/Broadway any good? Normally I'd take #QueensBlvdPBL/Skillman to get to #LIC, but just noticed that google maps suggests a slightly longer (by .1mi) but less hilly route. I know portions of broadway are still shitty (but then again so are portions of queens blvd).
lol. Shelter wouldn't let us take home fosters (in a hard shell carrier) in the #CargoBike because "it's too dangerous". I even deflated the tires a bit for this, for a smoother ride.
[for background, every cat I've ever dealt with has been terrified in a car. They hate the speed, and the loud engine/vibrations. It's one of the reasons I started transporting my former cats by bike.]
#NYC subway hot take: the A train should be extended to #Fordham.
There are already tracks under 207 St to access the yard, and those could be extended under Fordham Road, connecting to the 1, 4, and D trains and all three #MetroNorth lines.
Some justifications:
follows the route of the high-ridership Bx12 select bus
finally offers a direct connection between Washington Heights and the Bronx
would have made it way easier for me to get to the Fordham Metro-North station this morning
Three years ago today, we participated in this #TransportationAlternatives organized march for more dedicated cyclist and pedestrian space on the Queensboro Bridge.
Since then, city government has delayed the project multiple times, and no progress has been made. The crowded, shared bike and ped lane has only become more dangerous due to gas mini motorcycles and e-throttle vehicles illegally using it.
The NYPD is deploying a 420-pound robocop to roam Times Square's subway station (gothamist.com)
A 420-pound, 5-foot-2 robocop with a giant camera for a face will begin patrolling the Times Square subway station overnight, the NYPD has announced.