March 28, 2005 (Vol. 1, No. 5)

Former Residents of First "Colored Orphan Asylum" to Speak at Symposium April 14

The Black Studies Department, along with the Harlem Dowling-West Side Center for Children and Family Services and The Hebrew Home for the Aged at Riverdale, will hold a symposium on the "Colored Orphan Asylum" of the City of New York on Thursday, April 14, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., in the East Dining Room. The public is invited to the free event, but must register by Friday, April 8.

Black Studies Professor William Seraile, who is currently working on a book about the orphanage, will deliver the keynote address, entitled "Mysteries of the Nineteenth Century Revealed through Letters and Anecdotes." Other speakers include a representative from the Bronx Historical Society, former residents of the orphanage, and faculty members in the Sociology and Social Work Department.

Founded in 1836, the orphanage was the first institution in the country to provide care for orphaned African American children. During the New York City Draft Riots of 1863, the orphanage was burned to the ground. It was later rebuilt in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. In the 1940s, when the word "colored" started to become unfashionable, the asylum was renamed The Riverdale Children's Association. It finally closed its doors in 1946.

To register for the Symposium, call (212) 749-3656, ext. 556, or e-mail Professor Seraile at william.seraile@lehman.cuny.edu.

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