On behalf of the Board of Trustees of the African American Historical Society of Rockland County, I wish you a Happy New Year and extend best wishes for a meaningful and productive 2026. As we begin the year, we do so with excitement and optimism—reflecting on the meaningful work we carried out together and the strong foundation we have built for the future.
Throughout 2025, the African American Historical Society of Rockland County strengthened partnerships, expanded our digital presence, and deepened our commitment to preserving the history of the Black experience in Rockland County. One of our most significant accomplishments was the launch of the Rockland County Black Historical Communities Collaborative, a transformative initiative designed to document, preserve, and uplift the histories of Black communities across the county.
This year also marked important growth in the Historic Hillburn Online Hub, our expanding digital platform dedicated to preserving Hillburn’s layered history—from early community life to the landmark 1943 school desegregation case. Thanks to ongoing contributions from descendants, families, and community members, the Hub continues to evolve into a rich, accessible resource for researchers, educators, and the public.
From public programs and community gatherings to these major expansions in our digital infrastructure, we have built a foundation that ensures these histories are preserved, shared, and celebrated. This progress is only possible because of you—our members, partners, families, and supporters. Your belief in preservation, truth-telling, and community memory fuels each step we take.
As we begin 2026, we do so with renewed purpose: to expand the Rockland County Black Historical Communities Collaborative, deepen our research, broaden descendant engagement, grow the Historic Hillburn Online Hub, expand public programming for community members and students, and strengthen partnerships with institutions that value the preservation of historical resources and making them accessible to the public. These collaborations will be essential as we work to build a robust, community-centered historical record for generations to come.
Thank you for standing with us, for sharing your histories, and for helping us carry this vital work forward.
Jump at the Sun!
Jamila Brathwaite
President, African American Historical Society of Rockland County
On behalf of the Board of Trustees of the African American Historical Society of Rockland County, I wish you a Happy New Year and extend best wishes for a meaningful and productive 2026. As we begin the year, we do so with excitement and optimism—reflecting on the meaningful work we carried out together and the strong foundation we have built for the future.
Throughout 2025, the African American Historical Society of Rockland County strengthened partnerships, expanded our digital presence, and deepened our commitment to preserving the history of the Black experience in Rockland County. One of our most significant accomplishments was the launch of the Rockland County Black Historical Communities Collaborative, a transformative initiative designed to document, preserve, and uplift the histories of Black communities across the county.
This year also marked important growth in the Historic Hillburn Online Hub, our expanding digital platform dedicated to preserving Hillburn’s layered history—from early community life to the landmark 1943 school desegregation case. Thanks to ongoing contributions from descendants, families, and community members, the Hub continues to evolve into a rich, accessible resource for researchers, educators, and the public.
From public programs and community gatherings to these major expansions in our digital infrastructure, we have built a foundation that ensures these histories are preserved, shared, and celebrated. This progress is only possible because of you—our members, partners, families, and supporters. Your belief in preservation, truth-telling, and community memory fuels each step we take.
As we begin 2026, we do so with renewed purpose: to expand the Rockland County Black Historical Communities Collaborative, deepen our research, broaden descendant engagement, grow the Historic Hillburn Online Hub, expand public programming for community members and students, and strengthen partnerships with institutions that value the preservation of historical resources and making them accessible to the public. These collaborations will be essential as we work to build a robust, community-centered historical record for generations to come.
Thank you for standing with us, for sharing your histories, and for helping us carry this vital work forward.
Jump at the Sun!
Jamila Brathwaite
President, African American Historical Society of Rockland County
As we prepared for our Annual Event this year—and revisited the history of nineteenth-century Brooklyn to deepen our discussion of Brooklynites—I came across a YouTube video titled, It was just a portrait of a mother and her daughters—but look more closely at their hands.
With more than 925,000 views and over 18,000 likes, the video appeared to tell a compelling archival story—of a Brooklyn family preserving an extraordinary collection of photographs and papers, donating the materials to the New York Historical Society, and inspiring a museum exhibition and a New York Times feature.
But when I began verifying the details—names, scholars, institutions, and exhibitions—it became clear that the entire story was fabricated. The creator even included a “Thanks” button, inviting viewers to send donations in support of this false narrative.
Increasingly, we are also seeing the use of artificial intelligence and digital tools to generate or amplify false historical narratives, including stories about Black history that appear credible but are entirely fabricated. These technologies can spread misinformation quickly, often detached from archival evidence, community memory, or scholarly accountability. When left unchallenged, such narratives can distort public understanding of history. In this case, the misrepresentation also deceives viewers into donating to what they falsely believe is a worthy cause—making it both dubious and dangerous.
This experience underscored why our work matters. When misinformation spreads quickly and profitably, authentic histories—especially those historically marginalized—are at risk of being overshadowed or erased. And this is why AAHS is laser focused on families who have always been our first historians. Their photographs, letters, church programs, and oral histories remain critical safeguards against distortion and loss. In doing so, we safeguard a historical record rooted in evidence, memory, and community stewardship for generations to come.
Our response to this urgency is reflected in the continued expansion of the Historic Hillburn Online Hub and the launch of the Rockland County Black Historical Communities Collaborative, described later in this newsletter. Read more about this work to understand how community members can participate.
As part of our Black History Month 2025 programming, the African American Historical Society of Rockland County hosted Frederick Douglass and February: A Legacy of Love and Liberation, a virtual program examining Frederick Douglass’s enduring influence and the ways his ideas continue to shape movements for justice today.
AAHS hosted a meaningful community gathering at the historic Brook Presbyterian Church, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This event continued a relationship that began in 2007, when AAHS first started meeting with Hillburn community members in the church and in their homes.
AAHS’s Juneteenth program reflected the Society’s longstanding commitment to honoring Black history. The evening built upon earlier AAHS work, including the 2019 commemoration of 1619 that introduced Rockland County audiences to the story of Cudjo Lewis through readings from Barracoon, performances, and a keynote by Dr. Sylviane Diouf.
AAHS hosted The Underestimated: Hillburn’s Brook School and the Fight Against Segregation, an evening revisiting the 1943 desegregation fight in Hillburn—when Black families, supported by the NAACP, challenged unequal schools and helped lay groundwork for the broader civil rights movement.
The African American Historical Society of Rockland County hosted its Annual Event with a virtual conversation featuring Dr. Prithi Kanakamedala, author of Brooklynites: The Remarkable Story of the Free Black Communities that Shaped a Borough.
Ongoing, 2025 Throughout 2025, AAHS continued expanding the Historic Hillburn Online Hub, documenting Hillburn’s layered heritage—from early community life to the landmark 1943 desegregation case. The Hub is becoming an essential resource for families, educators, descendants, and researchers. Historic Hillburn Online Hub Return to Newsletter
The African American Historical Society of Rockland County is proud to launch the Rockland County Black Historical Communities Collaborative, a countywide initiative dedicated to uncovering, preserving, and sharing the stories of Black life across Rockland County.
AAHS is honored to welcome Dr. Jarvis R. Givens, Professor of Education and Professor of African and African American Studies at Harvard University, for our 2026 Black History Month keynote program. A leading scholar of African American educational history, Dr. Givens is the author of Fugitive Pedagogy: Carter G. Woodson and the Art of Black Teaching, a groundbreaking work that reshaped understanding of Black teaching traditions and their role in the Black freedom struggle.
Students, educators, and community members are encouraged to explore AAHS’s digital platforms to gain both local insight and broader historical context. The Movements section of the website traces Black movements across time—from abolition and Reconstruction through civil rights and contemporary organizing—connecting national struggles to local history. We also invite readers to visit the AAHS Museum website, which centers Black people, places, and communities across Rockland County. Our web offerings continue to grow, so we encourage you to check back often.
The African American Historical Society of Rockland County is dedicated to educating the public on the historical, cultural, and social experiences of the African Diaspora in our region.
Your membership supports research, public programming, heritage site identification, and digital expansion. It also strengthens the Rockland County Black Historical Communities Collaborative, enabling descendant engagement, digitization of family materials, and the development of a robust online hub.
AAHS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Membership Levels:
$25 General | $10 Senior | $15 Youth
OR MAIL YOUR MEMBERSHIP REQUEST TO:
African American Historical Society
P.O. Box 652
Pomona, NY 10970
Jamila Brathwaite, President
Bill Batson
Dr. Claude Brathwaite
Hon. Toney Earl
James Johnson
Kenneth Jackson
Drusilla Kinzonzi
Dr. Elias Rodriques, Secretary
Hon. Dana Stilley, Treasurer
Willie Trotman
Barbara Williams
Holly Zuber-Banks
Dr. Arlene Clinkscale, Trustee Emeritus
The work of the African American Historical Society of Rockland County is sustained through the leadership, insight, and dedication of its Board of Trustees. We extend our sincere thanks for their continued service and commitment.
The African American Historical Society of Rockland County welcomes individuals who are interested in safeguarding Black history and contributing their skills in service of the community. Our Board of Trustees is a working group of professionals who lend their expertise across a range of areas—including education, historical research and analysis, governance, programming, outreach, communications, fundraising, and organizational development—to strengthen and advance AAHS’s mission.
If you are ready to roll up your sleeves and engage in urgent, meaningful work, we invite you to connect with us.
