Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region, Inc.
Executive Director’s Report -- May 21 - August 20, 2015
Program Participation/Hosting/ Public Presentations
May 21 - first meeting with Film producer who is creating a documentary of historic sites around NYS for the 50th
anniversary of the Preservation Act of 1966 - will include Myers Residence, Albany UGRR locations, and YA
Institute
June – Glen Eddy Retirement Community – UGRR presentation
June 3 - Siena Summer Service Scholar field trip to Myers Residence(1:30pm-2:45pm)
June 5-6 – Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Conference – Cambridge, MD – UGRR presentation
June 10 - acknowledged at Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region annual event
June 11 - Myers Middle School field trip to Myers Residence - 10am-2pm
July 16 - hosted a visit to The Myers Residence by ACCVB Board of Directors
June 18-20 - NY History Conference - presentation on community engagement
June 26 - met at UGRR Campus with Director of Sales and Marketing for BBL Hospitality which is building a hotel
adjacent to the new Albany Capital Center (Albany Convention Center)
June 27 - Progress Party
June 28 – Hubbard Hall, Cambridge, NY - UGRR presentation
June 29 - 2hr. visit by NPS docents from Van Buren historic site - to learn about how we interpret Myers Residence and
interact with teens
July 1 - met with Siena College’s Connect4Change program representatives to discuss collaboration with UHRP
July 4 – July 4th Oration with URHPCR Annual Meeting – 11am-1pm at The Myers Residence
July 7-31 - Young Abolitionist Teen Scholars’ Institute - 4th year
July 13-14 - NEH teacher seminar participation for two days - Graham Hodges, PhD, is the seminar facilitator ($750/day)
- hosted 18 educators from around the country (PA, DE, KS, CA, TN, and other non-New York states)
July 28 - Teaching the Hudson Valley presentation on Community Engagement
July 30 - YA Institute Open House - 2pm-4pm
July 30-31 - Filming for 50th anniversary of the Historic Preservation Act
August 4 – Life Long Learners at Manchester, VT – UGRR presentation ($100)
Program Planning and Implementation
Florence Farming and Lumber Association – Utica Historical Society is collaborating with URHPCR, along with Hartgen
Archeological Associates and DEC, to plan and implement continued research, preservation and signage for this
historic site in Florence, Oneida County
Partners for Albany Stories – continue participation in regularly scheduled meetings – reviewing continuation of Story
Sharing program, Am I On?, at PASt sites
Young Abolitionists - meeting 2x/month to design educational PPTs, plan fundraisers, schedule public program
participation
Underground Railroad Club (Myers Middle School) – 2x/month - will resume in September 2015
Colllege Students/Interns -hosted Siena Summer Service Scholars - June 4-July 31 ($267 each) - part of AmeriCorps
program
Work Study students - will work on arranging with Maria College and Siena College, and possibly College of St. Rose, for
The Myers Residence to be an off-site work-study student opportunity beginning in Sept. 2015
African American History Project - participating in planning meetings to establish ongoing exhibits, displays, and
programs to promote Albany’s African American history - the first exhibit is The Brothers
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UGRR Consortium - continuing to move forward with incorporation, drafting bylaws, pursuing 501(c)3 status
North Swan Street Workgroup - attendance as regularly scheduled meetings focusing on N. Swan Street corridor
Erie Canalway Commission - Mary Liz has been accepted as a Commission of this commission
State Review Board - Paul is a member of this NYS Commission
World Canals Conference - planning committee member
Schuyler Flatts Burial Ground Committee- planning the burial of remains in June 2016, meets monthly
Publicity/Promotion
Tabling at Troy Farmers’ Mkt. And Schenectady Green Market to promote conference (March 15 & March 21)
URHPCR Facebook page - requires constant monitoring and updating, 3,637 likes (up 59 since March 19 - now we just
need to motivate Facebook page ‘likers’ to URHPCR active supporters (Are you, as a Board Member, a friend of
URHPCR on Facebook?)
URHPCR Website - calendar and event updates ongoing; To date, there have been 62,827 visits since January, with an
average of 7,853 visits per month. (based on an Awstats calculation),
Other
Second Monday Leads Group - continue participation in this networking group organized by Alexandra Sautin
Albany Colonie Chamber of Commerce - URHPCR has a membership
Southern Saratoga Chamber of Commerce - URHPCR has a membership
CDBG - applied for $10,000 toward CFA match for lift at Myer Residence - awarded
Green Tech Charter School - will work to arrange continuation of this collaboration beginning in September 2015
Ink Cartridges - send empty inkjet printer cartridges to Mary Liz for redemption at Staples
Albany Heritage Tourism Advisory Council - Paul and Mary Liz participate in these bi-monthly meetings
Audio Tour of The Myers Residence - conducted by Paul Miller, Director, Digital Media, Office of Communications &
Marketing, titled Hope on the Hill.
Upcoming
Meeting with Jennnifer Lamack, NYS Museum Senior Historian/Curator, to discuss “bringing the NYSM to the Myers
residence. We spoke about making laminated facsimiles of slavery and abolition documents from the NYSM and
NYSL collections for teaching aids at the Myers residence. I mentioned this to the Museum Director, Mark
Schaming, yesterday and he thinks it is a great idea. He also wondered if we could create a panel exhibit for you
– similar in size and scope of the Brothers panels.”
September 3 - Building and Properties Committee meeting - 6pm at Myers Res
September 10 - Collections committee meeting - 6pm at Myers Res
September 12 - Reach Out St. Rose - 9am-12noon - volunteers needed
September 13 - Afro-Dutch Fam tour to be at Myers Residence from 9:15-10:15am (organized by I Love NY)
September 14 - Conference Planning Committee - 6pm - Russell Sage College Campus - Gurley Hall room 105
September 17 - URHPCR Board meeting - 5:45pm - Russell Sage College Campus - Upton Center
September 24 - Library Committee meeting - 5:30pm - Myers Res
September 26 - UGRR bus tour to NYC (anticipated income over expenses - $1200)
October 3 – Jack and Jill of the NE – 100 adults and youth learn about and work at the UGRR Campus - volunteers
needed
April 15-17, 2016 - 15th annual URHP Public History Conference - mark your calendars
June 18, 2016 - African Burial Ground re-internment ceremony
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Notes:
Three (3) CFA grants were applied for in the current round. They were submitted July 30, 2015. Deadline was July 31,
2015.
(1) NYSCA - grant application for a full time Director of Programs - the grant application is for two years - NYSCA pays
$24,750 per year, URHP picks up $6,188 as the 25% match required, as well as $6,187 in fringe benefits. This
grant, if awarded, will need to have a funding plan in place to sustain the position beyond Dec. 2017. The grant
period runs from Jan. 2016 through Dec. 2017.
(2) ESD Economic Growth Investment and (3) Erie Canalway Grant Program - these two applications are requesting
$220,000 toward the acquisition, rehabilitation, and furnishing, including equipment, for the URHP Interpretive
Center. Total costs for this project - Building acquisition and construction - $300,000; furnishing and Equipment $50,000. Work completion - 1st quarter 2018. URHP’s financial commitment - $7,000 cash equity to ESD upon
contract singing, with $133,000 that will need to be raised. ESD only pays up to 20% of costs. URHP needs the
Interpretive Center if it is to sustain itself for future generations. It is also needed when interior restoration of
The Myers Residence commences which will necessitate the complete shutdown of Myers Residence usage until
the interior is done, even if this is done in phases.
Notes:
Garden Committee and Conference Planning Committee - need facilitators
Twitter - Twitter.com/URHPCR
Facebook - Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region, Inc.
Printer ink cartridges – need to replenish used empty Inkjet cartridge collection
Visit the Underground Railroad History Project Facebook page for great photos of URHPCR events
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