Tour and Discussion: What Does It Mean to Be an American?

As the country marks its 250th birthday, join us to celebrate times when everyday New Yorkers united to further American democracy. Tenement residents exercised their freedom of assembly, press and speech in remarkable ways: the 1870 parade celebrating the passage of the 15th Amendment, the 1902 Kosher Meat Boycott, the 1974 court case that brought bilingual education to NYC public schools, and the 1982 strike of garment workers in Chinatown.

Whether debating how to translate voting rights into their own lives, fighting for affordable kosher meat, ensuring access to education, or demanding fair wages, the actions of these everyday New Yorkers push us to consider what it means to be American. Come to the tenements to learn and honor this history as part of the broader history of American communities moving our democracy forward, and discuss how we draw on the past to find hope and inspiration today.

Join us for an evening of tours, conversation, and refreshments.