Notable New Yorkers

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Colorized photograph of Elsie Richardson
Notable New Yorkers Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Elsie Richardson: Investing in Bed-Stuy

Civil rights and community activist Elsie Richardson (1922-2012) undertook visionary organizing in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant beginning in the 1960s. Her work in creating the Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation drew citywide and national attention.
Color photograph of Mario César Romero wearing a white suit jacket and burgundy button down shirt against a brown-marbled wall
Notable New Yorkers Thursday, May 7, 2020

Mario César Romero

Mario César Romero, (b. 1942) was a great friend to the Museum who recently passed away from COVID-19. Kathy Benson Haskins, former Museum staff member (now retired) and Community Advocate, wrote this heartfelt tribute that highlights his connections to East Harlem.
A black and white photograph of three nurses standing around a patient in a hospital bed.
Movements and Causes Friday, April 24, 2020

Echoes of Epidemics Past:

Infectious disease has repeatedly shaped and challenged our city. In fact, before the 20th century, contagion was the overwhelming fact of life – and death – in New York.
Color photograph of Fathers Denis Hanly (right) Joanna Chan, and Richard Grillo (left), sitting in a living room.
Notable New Yorkers Friday, April 17, 2020

Building Bridges with Language and Theater

Among the almost 70 New Yorkers featured in the Museum of the City of New York’s permanent exhibition, New York at Its Core, is Sister Joanna Wan-Ying Chan, 陳尹瑩, a multi-lingual and multi-talented artist who founded vital cultural institutions in Manhattan’s Chinatown.
A black and white photograph of Florence Mills posed in a fancy dress with top hat and cane
Notable New Yorkers Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Florence Mills: Broadway Sensation of the 1920s

Florence Mills (1896-1927) is one of nearly 70 New Yorkers you can virtually “meet” if you visit the Museum’s permanent exhibition New York at Its Core. We’re bringing her to you #MuseumFromHome in honor of Women’s History Month. Read on to learn more about this iconic New Yorker.
Black and White photograph of a man and woman standing on a roof, facing the camera. The woman has her arms crossed, the man holds a hand up to his temple.
City Arts Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Collecting New York's Music Stories

The Museum's exhibitions have shared stories of the world’s most influential metropolis. our most recent exhibition, "Collecting New York's Stories: Stuyvesant to Sid Vicious" features highlights drawn from hundreds of additions to the Museum’s permanent collection over the past three years, including photographs that will intrigue anyone who appreciates music legends who have made their mark on the city throughout the years.