‘Wild Wild Gotham, 1872: A Year of Social Upheaval in NYC’ Webinar
Flashback to seven years after the Civil War, and New York was a city convulsing with social upheaval and sexual revolution. Drink, sex, and gambling seduced young men and women flooding into the burgeoning city; women horned in on men’s turf, trading on Wall Street, and demanding the vote (with one even running for President of the United States); a breakdown of basic law & order had the press calling the city a “Paradise for Murderers.” This is the story of New York City in 1872 and the people, places, and moments that defined it.
Join New York Adventure Club as we explore New York City during the extraordinary year of 1872, a year defined by vices, suffrage, and scandal at the beginning of the Gilded Age.
Led by Brooklyn author and storyteller Bill Greer, our digital showcase running from the Battery to Central Park will include:
- Political turbulence that rocked the city, including the downfall of Boss Tweed and his Tammany Hall Ring, and the mini-pandemic that threatened the November election
- Key figures in the early Women’s rights movements, such as abortionist Madame Restell, and sisters Victoria Woodhull and Tennie Claflin (aka “The Queens of Finance”) who upended Wall Street by opening a brokerage firm doors away from the New York Stock Exchange
- What life was like in Manhattan’s most notorious neighborhoods of the time, from “Little Bohemia” of Bleecker Street to The Bowery, an open market for venality of all flavors
- The partisan political warfare among the newspapers of Printing House Square, which included the Times, Herald, Tribune, and World
Afterward, we’ll have a Q&A with Bill — any and all questions about New York City back in 1872 are welcomed and encouraged! $10.
About Bill
Bill Greer is the author of the nonfiction narrative A Dirty Year: Sex, Suffrage, and Scandal in Gilded Age New York, released in April by Chicago Review Press. His earlier novel, The Mevrouw Who Saved Manhattan, paints a portrait of the city’s founding as New Amsterdam. As an officer and trustee of the New Netherland Institute, he chaired the Institute’s program to establish the New Netherland Research Center with the New York State Library. He has spoken on New York history throughout the Hudson Valley.
Testimonials
“Bill’s incredible knowledge of that era. He really made it come alive and it serves as a great companion to reading his book which I have done and thoroughly enjoyed.” -Marilyn
“I really enjoyed it. I don’t like in America but the webinars are so interesting I think I’d like to visit” -Etta
“Interesting stories that wove together people and incidents I only knew a little bit about.” -Diana
“I liked the delightful, totally knowledgeable presenter.” -Horace
“Interplay of events & social history, & contrast w/ today’s dramas” -Sharon
“It was tremendously informative and interesting.” -Margo
“Nice detailed stories about the time period. Colorful characters.” -Cooke
“Bill’s relaxed, informative narration. The high quality visuals and the way he knitted it all together. A snapshot of a time in my beloved city.” -Mildred
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