Flatbush + Main

In Episode 35 of Flatbush + Main, we celebrate the 200th birthday of Brooklyn's bard, Walt Whitman. Whitman was a journalist, a poet, a lover, a wanderer, and a Brooklynite. We consider his experiences walking Brooklyn's streets and the inspiration he drew from the places and people he encountered.

In Episode 34 of Brooklyn Historical Society's podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia discuss Brooklyn's long farming history, and the complex interplay of power, land, and labor in Kings County.

In Episode 33 of Brooklyn Historical Society's podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia explore Coney Island's queer history. Guest Hugh Ryan joins Julie and Zaheer this episode. Hugh is the author of the new book, When Brooklyn Was Queer, and the co-curator, with Avram Finkelstein, of BHS's newest exhibition, On the (Queer) Waterfront.

In Episode 32 of Brooklyn Historical Society's podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia examine the history of Muslims in Brooklyn, drawing on BHS's groundbreaking public and oral history project that launched in 2017.

In Episode 31 of Brooklyn Historical Society’s podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia discuss the infamous Blackout of 1977, the economic and social context that led up to the event, its impact on many Brooklyn neighborhoods, and its enduring legacy.

In Episode 30 of Brooklyn Historical Society's podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia discuss Brooklyn Historical Society's Puerto Rican Oral History Project (1973-1975), the institution's first oral history collection, which resulted in over 80 interviews with narrators born as early as the 1880s. They situate this landmark undertaking in the social and intellectual developments of the 1960s and 1970s, from the Civil Rights Movement to the rise of Ethnic Studies programs.

In Episode 29 of Brooklyn Historical Society’s podcast Flatbush + Main, host Zaheer Ali and guest-host Erin Wuebker, fellow BHS historian, discuss the impact of cholera on Brooklyn, which led to the illness and death of thousands of residents in the 19th century. Zaheer and Erin consider how epidemics of cholera were both symptoms of the city’s tremendous growth and change in this era, and catalysts for Brooklyn to develop basic infrastructure we associate with a modern city.

In Episode 28 of Brooklyn Historical Society's podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia discuss the impact on Brooklyn of the 1863 New York City draft riots, the largest domestic uprising in American history after the Civil War itself, resulting in the death of hundreds of Black New Yorkers. Zaheer and Julie consider the complex--and sometimes violent--racial dynamics that made Brooklyn a place of both refuge and danger for its Black residents during this perilous moment.

In Episode 27 of Brooklyn Historical Society’s podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia are joined by guest Joshua B. Freeman, author of Behemoth: A History of the Factory and the Making of the Modern World. They consider the impact of factories on Brooklyn's social and economic history, and discuss the experiences of factory workers that worked and lived in Brooklyn.

In Episode 26 of Brooklyn Historical Society’s podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia discuss the tragic 1978 killing of Crown Heights resident Arthur Miller Jr. by police, and consider his important legacy as a community leader, activist, and businessman.

In Episode 25 of Brooklyn Historical Society’s podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia, joined by fellow BHS historian Erin Wuebker, explore the fascinating history of gender and medicine in Brooklyn and learn about some of Brooklyn's pioneering female physicians.

In Episode 24 of Brooklyn Historical Society’s podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia discuss a Revolutionary War tragedy: the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans inside prison ships during the British wartime occupation of New York from 1776 to 1783.

In Episode 23 of Brooklyn Historical Society’s podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia revisit Brooklyn Historical Society DUMBO to celebrate the opening of its new longterm exhibition, Waterfront.

In Episode 22 of Brooklyn Historical Society’s podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia examine the legacy of black-owned businesses in Brooklyn.

In Episode 21 of Brooklyn Historical Society’s podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia dig into what we do at Brooklyn Historical Society: engaging our many visitors and constituents in the process of doing history.

In Episode 20 of Brooklyn Historical Society’s podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia use one seemingly inconsequential manuscript collection to explore themes of memory and history-making over many generations. In 1915, Brooklynite Francis Morrell wrote a small tract called "Recollections of Old Williamsburgh." This self-published work of genealogy reminds us that historical writing tells us just as much about the time that it was written as about the time period it purports to study.

In Episode 19 of Brooklyn Historical Society’s podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia examine an important but long-forgotten tragedy in Brooklyn's past: the Brooklyn Theatre Fire of 1876, and discuss the Gilded Age, municipal reform, class relations, the culture of leisure, and the politics of memory in the 19th century - and today.

In Episode 18 of Brooklyn Historical Society’s podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia consider what it means to remember and document Hurricane Sandy five years after the storm devastated many parts of Brooklyn.

In Episode 17 of Brooklyn Historical Society’s podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia examine the meanings and global roots of a time-honored tradition in Brooklyn, the West Indian Carnival.

In Episode 16 of Brooklyn Historical Society’s podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia examine the many identities of the Brooklyn neighborhood of Fort Greene.

In Episode 15 of Brooklyn Historical Society’s podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia dive into the history of Empire Stores, the historic 19th-century waterfront warehouse that is now the home of BHS's new satellite museum, BHS DUMBO.

In Episode 14 of Brooklyn Historical Society’s podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia reflect on Malcolm X's enduring influence on the borough of Brooklyn.

In Episode 13 of Brooklyn Historical Society’s podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia celebrate the podcast's first birthday by looking back on the year's most memorable segments and guests.

In Episode 12 of Brooklyn Historical Society’s podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia examine the work of a group of remarkable female photographers who have taken Brooklyn as their subject.

In Episode 11 of Brooklyn Historical Society’s podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia explore the last decade of the life of iconic Civil Rights leader W.E.B. Du Bois, when he called Brooklyn home.

This month, Flatbush + Main listeners get a bonus segment of "Voices of Brooklyn!" On January 21, 2017, hundreds of thousands of people, including countless Brooklynites, took part in the Women's March on NYC. Julie spoke to several participants about why they marched, what activism means to them, and how their beliefs have evolved since the 2016 election. We're honored to share their thoughtful reflections.

Episode 10 of Flatbush + Main is a special one - it was recorded live on January 11, 2017 in BHS's beautiful Othmer Library.

In Episode 09 of Brooklyn Historical Society’s podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia dig into their most delicious topic yet: food and identity in Brooklyn. They speak to historical gastronomist Sarah Lohman to find out exactly what a historical gastronomist is, and to learn about some ingredients that have shaped the course of American history. In "Into the Archives," they explore a 19th-century recipe book created by two generations of Brooklyn women and think about gender roles, the politics of food preparation, and the preservation of Dutch culture in Flatbush. Finally, they listen to a clip from the oral history of Ericka Basile, a Brooklynite of African, French and Taíno ancestry. Basile reflects on the ways that Creole food informed her childhood, her relationships, and her identity. In their endorsements, Julie and Zaheer share some of the foods that have shaped who they are today. We'd love to hear about how food has shaped your identity. Share your food memories by using the hashtag #flatbushandmain.

In Episode 08 of Brooklyn Historical Society’s podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia explore the legacy of veterans from Brooklyn and beyond, and consider the ways that historians have analyzed the often fraught history of American veterans. In the first segment, Julie and Zaheer sit down with historian Phil Napoli to discuss the the historical meanings of the American veteran throughout history. Phil also discusses his work interviewing New York City's Vietnam Vets, and the essential role that oral histories can play in the preservation of veterans' experiences. Our hosts head into the archives with BHS Assistant Curator Erin Wuebker to learn the stories embedded in one Civil War-era surgeon's kit. in "Voices of Brooklyn," they listen to and honor the experiences of Second Lieutenant Joan Furey, a Brooklynite who served in Vietnam. Following endorsements, Zaheer and Julie offer their thoughts on the recent presidential election and the importance of historical thinking in this unprecedented political age.

In less than a week, Americans will go to the polls to choose a new president - and for the first time, one of the major party candidates is a woman. In episode 07 of Brooklyn Historical Society's podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia consider the important legacies left by several of Brooklyn's female politicians, and the intersectional nature of gender and politics in this incredibly diverse borough. They learn about the remarkable career of Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm from historian Zinga Fraser, and draw connections between Chisholm's politics and today's political landscape. In their explorations of the papers of NAACP staffer Richetta Randolph, they expand definitions of what constitutes political work. In "Voices of Brooklyn," they listen to influential activist Elsie Richardson describe her interactions with Robert Kennedy during his 1965 visit to the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford Stuyvesant. Finally, they welcome BHS Manager of Teacher and Learning Alex Tronolone, who plugs BHS's Election Day Professional Development programming for New York City's K-12 teachers.

In episode 06 of Brooklyn Historical Society's podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia explore the complicated relationship between race, power, and policy in Brooklyn's educational system over two centuries. They speak with journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones and historian Ansley Erickson about the rezoning of one Brooklyn school, P.S. 307, and the roots of school segregation in New York City. They head into the archives to analyze an 1863 letter written by William J. Wilson, an educational leader in Brooklyn's African American community. In "Voices of Brooklyn," they listen to the experiences of Mary Barksdale, who served as a local school board representative and president of the parent-teachers association in her son's school in the Brooklyn neighborhood of East New York. Finally, they get a glimpse into one of BHS's most innovative after school programs from Shirley Brown-Alleyne, BHS Manager of Teaching and Learning.

In episode 05 of Brooklyn Historical Society's podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia do a deep dive into the history and future of Crown Heights, a neighborhood in central Brooklyn, on the 25th anniversary of the 1991 Crown Heights Riot. Throughout Crown Heights' history, its many diverse residents have debated the boundaries, ownership, and meaning of this ever-evolving neighborhood. Julie and Zaheer consider how the question "Whose Crown Heights?" has shaped the neighborhood's history from the 18th century to the present, they crack open the "Crown Heights" folder from the Vertical File in BHS's Library and Archives, and they listen to residents Rabbi Simon Jacobson and Iyedun Ince reflect on their relationship with and observations about Crown Heights. For complete show notes, go to bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/flatbush-main.

In episode 04 of Brooklyn Historical Society's podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia examine the history and evolution of hip hop in Brooklyn. Joined by Wes Jackson, founder and Executive Director of the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival, we consider how Brooklyn shaped the trajectory of this powerful cultural genre - and how hip hop, in turn, shaped Brooklyn and Brooklynites. We chat with media producer, archivist, and educator Martha Diaz about what it means to document and archive such a multilayered and global movement as hip hop. Finally, in the "Voices of Brooklyn" segment, we listen to author, filmmaker, and cultural critic Nelson George describe how hip hop communities operated on the ground in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Fort Greene.

In episode 03 of Brooklyn Historical Society's podcast Flatbush + Main, Zaheer and I tackle the history of queer spaces in Brooklyn. We sit down with curator and writer Hugh Ryan, who helps us define "queer" as a historical construct and shares some amazing hidden queer histories that he has uncovered. We also visit Lesbian Herstory Archives in the neighborhood of Park Slope to talk with co-founder Deborah Edel, and listen to the reflections of one Brooklynite who shared his life and experiences in our oral history collections.

We usually plan each episode a month or two in advance, and we knew we wanted to do an episode honoring Pride for the month of June. But on Sunday, June 12, the episode took on new and heartbreaking meaning for us when we learned of the mass shooting of 49 people at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. This tragedy and this unthinkable loss of life makes examination of Brooklyn's complex and layered queer history all the more imperative. Zaheer and I dedicate this podcast to the victims of the Pulse massacre, and those who have lost partners, family members, friends, and loved ones.

In the past several years, Brooklyn's waterfront has transformed into a high-value, celebrated space lined with bucolic parks and new developments. In Episode 02 of Brooklyn Historical Society's podcast Flatbush + Main, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia travel back in time to a different waterfront: a 19th- and 20th-century site of production, storage, and back-breaking labor for millions of Brooklynites who lived and toiled along its industrial shores. Through stories of people, goods, and work, Julie and Zaheer discuss how Brooklyn's waterfront was a crucible of American capitalism and labor.

Julie and Zaheer vividly describe the rise of the commercial waterfront in the early 19th century, back when Brooklyn was dubbed "the Walled City" because of its miles of fortress-like brick warehouses. They sit down with BHS Assistant Public Historian Katy Lasdow to learn how Katy pieced together the story of one dockworker who lived and died at Brooklyn's Empire Stores warehouse. Zaheer and Brett Dion, BHS Oral History Archivist, discuss a clip from BHS's Puerto Rican Oral History Project. Finally, listeners hear from BHS Director of Education Emily Potter-Ndiaye and Teen Council Member Sam Pepere on the amazing work that teens have been doing at BHS this Spring.

Last Friday, April 22, was Earth Day, recognized since 1970 as a day to agitate for environmental consciousness and protection. In honor of that, Episode 01 of Brooklyn Historical Society's podcast Flatbush + Main tackles one of the most pressing topics shaping Brooklyn's past and future: waste. With the help of guests historian Elizabeth Pillsbury and artist Barry Rosenthal, co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia dive into the trash, sewage, and general yuckiness that is produced by a densely-populated urban center like Brooklyn.

Julie and Zaheer learn how Brooklyn's sewer system prompted the demise of the oyster industry in Brooklyn, and discuss trash as a symbol of inequity for 1960s Civil Rights activists. Zaheer shares clips from BHS's Pfizer Brooklyn Oral History collection. Finally, Julie checks in with photographer Barry Rosenthal to learn more about his process creating art out of found trash.

Brooklyn Historical Society is excited to launch Flatbush + Main, a monthly podcast dedicated to Brooklyn's many-layered history and its dynamic present. Each week you'll hear co-hosts Zaheer Ali and Julie Golia dig into some of the most compelling stories that we come across everyday in our work as historians at BHS.