Documentary Film on Nyack's Urban Renewal - Crossroads of Rockland History

Broadcast originally aired on Monday, June 19, 2023 at 9:30 am on WRCR Radio 1700 AM  

We learned about a new documentary film  titled What Happened to Jackson Avenue: A Story of Urban Renewal. Clare Sheridan spoke with the filmmakers, Hakima Alem and Rudi Gohl. We  also heard from members of the Phoenix Theatre Ensemble, Craig Smith and Elise Stone, who are producing this powerful film.

What Happened to Jackson Avenue: A Story of Urban Renewal covers an urban renewal program in Nyack in the 1960s and ’70s that removed 125 families (79% Black). These families lost their homes, families, and community, as well as generational wealth valued at $30 million-$40 million. The film includes personal and emotional stories from individuals who were present and saw the destruction of their community. Now in their eighties and nineties, they want to be heard.

Screening dates in collaboration with Rivertown Film have been set: Saturday, June 24, 2023, 8 pm, and Friday, July 7, 2023, 8 pm, at The Nyack Center, 58 Depew Avenue (at intersection of Broadway and Depew), Nyack. To reserve tickets for a screening, click here: https://phoenixtheatreensembleorg.thundertix.com/events/213870

To watch a trailer for the documentary, click here:  https://www.phoenixtheatreensemble.org/what-happened-to-jackson-ave.

To learn more about the film or the Phoenix Theatre Ensemble, visit https://www.phoenixtheatreensemble.org.

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Crossroads of Rockland History, a program of the Historical Society of Rockland County, airs on the third Monday of each month at 9:30 am, right after the Jeff and Will morning show, on WRCR Radio 1700 AM and www.WRCR.com. Join host Clare Sheridan as we explore, celebrate, and learn about our local history, with different topics and guest speakers every month. Our recorded broadcasts are also available for streaming on all major podcasts platforms.  

The Historical Society of Rockland County is a nonprofit educational institution and principal repository for original documents and artifacts relating to Rockland County. Its headquarters are a four-acre site featuring a history museum and the 1832 Jacob Blauvelt House in New City, NY.

www.RocklandHistory.org