Blauweiss Media Presents: Black Cultural History of Ulster County

Blauweiss Media has been working hard on a new series of online multimedia presentations called PhotoTalks. PhotoTalks are engaging multimedia presentations on a variety of topics related to Kingston, Woodstock, Hudson Valley, Ulster County, and Black cultural history. 

On February 16 at 6pm in honor of Black History Month Black Cultural History of Ulster County will be presented.

Learn about the lesser-known and certainly under-acknowledged cultural history of our region in this free multimedia presentation conveyed in a historical context through a wide range of rare photographs and video clips about the arts, music, photography, visual arts, dance, education, and even boxing, plus an overview of local industries such as brick-making, and how the Black community played an integral part in building major infrastructure projects such as the D&H Canal and the Ashokan Reservoir. We will also highlight the many connections to community activism.

The presentation includes profiles of key figures, including:

• Harlem’s Father Divine, a charismatic religious leader who practiced liberal interracial practices far ahead of this time and owned various properties in Ulster County;

• Augusta Savage, The Harlem Renaissance, Harlem Artists Guild, and artists Robert Blackburn and Ben Wigfall

• Peg Leg Bates, a renowned performer and owner of the first Black resort in the Catskills;

• Musician Juma Sultan, who played with Jimi Hendrix at the Woodstock concert and lived for two years at the Group 212 Intermedia Arts Colony;

• Boxer Billy Costello, a native Kingstonian who won the WBC light welterweight championship in 1984 and whose fights were frequently broadcast on television.

• Local photographer Mickey Mathis

• Musicians Odetta, Jimi Hendrix, Charles Mingus, Jack DeJohnette, Richie Havens, Sonny Rollins, and local Juma Sultan, through today with Simi Stone.