Dear Archaeology Friends,
Welcome to fall 2020! As the leaves and temperatures fall I hope that you are all looking forward to some cozy time inside. October is the perfect month to warm up to great archaeological events! We have our first virtual Zoom lecture happening on Sunday, October 4 at 3:00. Sherene Baugher from Cornell will give a lecture entitled ‘Changing Heritage Narratives at the Voorlezer House: From a Dutch Schoolhouse to a French Huguenot Home.’ It is wonderful to have this lecture is co-sponsored by Historic Richmondtown. Her abstract can be found below. This particular event will be offered live in Zoom only, and not recorded. So be sure to attend on 10/4!
In order to attend the virtual lecture via Zoom, you will first need to register. After registering, you will be sent a confirmation email with information approving your registration and on how to enter the virtual lecture on the day of. Be sure to register as soon as possible in order to receive reminders and secure your spot.
While the official start time for our meetings are 3:00, know that you will be placed in a virtual ‘waiting room’ at that time. Once the host (Sarah) and speaker are ready to go, they will admit you to the live event; be patient – we know you are there! During the lecture we will keep your microphones on mute. We look forward to having you ask questions. You can feel free to write your questions into the ‘chat’ function, in which case Sarah will ask them for you once the lecture is over. Otherwise, please be patient and wait until the end of the lecture when we will give participants the option to raise their hand, be called on, and then ask their question. Good virtual lecture etiquette is essential in order to keep things streamlined and functioning well.
Here is the information for you to register for the lecture on 10/4:
https://wagner.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJctf-ihqTItGdMa_WezGdXDCcZ3AJeoSJW-
Remember that our calendar of lectures is posted on our website, www.siarchaeology.org. An email announcement like this one will come in advance of every lecture. All announcements and notification of lectures will be made via email. If you know of someone else who is interested in attending, please have them email us at info@siarchaeology.org so they can be added to our e-newsletter list.
We are pleased to offer this year’s lecture series at no cost to participants. However, there are still expenses that need to be covered. Please think about joining or renewing your membership at $30 per year. Donations of any amount would be greatly appreciated. And new members are certainly welcomed! Please send your check to: ASSI, PO Box 140504, Staten Island, NY 10314.
Be well, and I look forward to ‘seeing’ you on October 4th!
Sarah J. Scott, President
Sunday Oct 4, 2020 at 3pm The Dr. George G. Hackman Memorial Lecture
Lecture Co-sponsored by Historic Richmondtown
Dr. Sherene Baugher – Cornell University
Changing Heritage Narratives at the Voorlezer House: From a Dutch Schoolhouse to a French Huguenot Home
Heritage and immigration are major topics among archaeologists and historians. But the big issue is really about who controls the heritage narrative. Whose identity and history will be remembered and whose will be forgotten. From 1942 a building in Historic Richmondtown has been interpreted to the public as a 17th century Dutch schoolhouse, the Voorlezer House. However, the structure was actually built in the mid-18th century and was home of the Rezeaus, a French Huguenot family. Why was it presented as a Dutch and not as a French building? This will be addressed in this talk. Staten Island, along with New Paltz, was a major area for French Protestant settlement in colonial New York. And yet the history and archaeology of French Huguenots on Staten Island has been understudied. This presentation will also provide information on the archaeological work on the Rezeau house and discuss how the Rezeau family sought to maintain their identity when faced pressures of assimilation within a growing Dutch and later English community. The Rezeau archaeology will be placed within the context of the larger Huguenot communities on Staten Island and within the colony of New York.