Across the United States, the power of organized labor has been largely diminished, but in New York City, unions remain relevant, throwing their muscle behind campaigns and driving public policy. Even here, however, labor has receded from its high-water mark, a moment that labor historian Joshua Freeman believes took place on June 8, 1971. Political griping about the cost…
According to psychologists Paul Piff and Dacher Keltner, when humans experience the “wonder and beauty of the world around them,” they are more generous to strangers; people feeling awe are more willing to appreciate our collective humanity. We obviously need more awe in New York politics, where we are stuck with small men and small ideas.…
New Amsterdam in the early 1640s was a mess. Trash was strewn about the muddy streets, drunken sailors and farm animals ambled about, and New Netherland’s small population was huddled up in Manhattan after a bruising war against local Native American tribes. Enter Peter Stuyvesant. On May 27, 1647, he took over as Director General…
Happy birthday, Biggie! Christopher Wallace a/k/a Notorious B.I.G was born on May 21, 1972 and raised in Bed-Stuy. Today Notorious B.I.G is remembered as one of the greatest rappers of all-time, after a mercurial rise to the top, an incredibly short career, and a dramatic assassination that sent shockwaves through the country. Wallace started dealing…
This site often brings you tales of activism and dissent, but New Yorkers aren’t always as rebellious as they should be. On May 20, 1970, more than 100,000 of them marched through lower Manhattan to show their support for the Vietnam War and the Nixon administration. Nor was this the first outpouring of Vietnam warmongering from New Yorkers. On May 13,…
This morning I am excited to announce the beginning of a major project: The History of Williamsburg. I’ve been fascinated with Williamsburg during my two stints living here, and my research into its past has reaffirmed that it is the most interesting neighborhood in the city. For hundreds of years, this is where cultures have…
On May 17, 1792, two dozen New Yorkers met under a tree to talk about Revolutionary War debt. That little conversation spawned the behemoth we have all come to fear and loathe, yet depend on for tax revenue and retirement stability: the New York Stock Exchange. After suffering the indignity of British occupation during the…
There’s been some buzz about the latest Quinnipiac poll numbers showing that Mayor de Blasio’s support has dropped to 44%. But does a number like that even mean anything? Much to their credit, Quinnipiac has provided a treasure trove of data, including reference points from past administrations, which allows us to take a closer look.…
It can be easy to forget, in our hurry to get places, that taxi drivers have it pretty tough. Between the rise of Uber, Lyft, and their imitators, and the introduction of the green outer-borough taxis a few years ago, life has never been so convenient for taxi passengers. For drivers, on the other hand,…
For the second time in a week I am dedicating Today in NYC History to the team of my youth, the New York Knickerbockers. The franchise was going through one of its frequent dreary spells when it hit the lottery jackpot on May 12, 1985, winning the rights to draft Georgetown star Patrick Ewing. During…
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