The Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook presents Shirley Chisholm, Unbossed & Unbowed on Friday, May 9 in the LIM’s Carriage Museum’s Gillespie Room at 7 p.m.
Don’t miss this award-winning solo show created and performed by Ingrid Griffith, telling the largely unheard story of Shirley St. Hill Chisholm, a Brooklyn-born politician of immigrant parents, who, in the 20th century, was the first African-American woman to win a seat in Congress and run for President.
The story follows 10-year-old Shirley as she returns to the U.S. after being separated from her parents during the Great Depression. Her years with her grandmother in Barbados deeply shaped her Caribbean heritage, influencing her bearing, speech, and self-expectations. Shirley Chisholm’s childhood reveals how race and gender were meant to limit her, yet she chose to fight for the disenfranchised, overcoming immense barriers to rise in politics.
Unbossed and Unbowed dramatizes the Civil Rights era, the unrest of the 1960s, and the patriarchal system she challenged—struggles that still resonate today. Through visuals and music, the play captures the economic, political, and social upheavals from the 1930s to the early 1970s. While all characters bring strong voices, it is Shirley Chisholm’s narrative that delivers the story’s powerful message.
Tickets are $30, $25 members. To register, visit www.longislandmuseum.org or click here. For more information, call 631-751-0066.
This program is part of “A New Agora for New York.”
Geraldine Ferraro with Ivan and Leah S. Dunaief.
Photo courtesy Leah Dunaief.
By Leah S. Dunaief
Leah Dunaief, Publisher
Frankly, we are concerned. The tariffs on Mexican and Chinese goods are worrisome. But especially for the print journalism industry, the one on Canadian imports could be deadly.
We get much of our newsprint, on which we send you the local news, from Canada.
We have already endured a significant increase in printing costs because our old printer closed shop and new printers, with whom we have no seniority, are considerably more expensive. So we have not been our happy selves.
That is until Tuesday evening, when I had the good fortune to see a documentary film called “Geraldine Ferraro: Paving the Way” at the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook.
Now Geraldine Ferraro was the first female to be a Vice President nominee on a major national party Presidential ticket. She ran with Walter Mondale in 1984 against Ronald Reagan, as the Democratic candidates for the top offices in the land, and while they lost, she was an inspirational leader.
She inspired women to run for political office. She also inspired men and women to believe their dreams were achievable. She was a true trailblazer.
Her story is told by her older daughter, Donna Zaccaro, a filmmaker in her own right, and Andrew Morreale, talented editor. It was produced in 2011, the year Geraldine Ferraro died. Before reaching that pinnacle, Ferraro’s lifebegan with a hardscrabble childhood after her father died when she was 8. Encouraged by her mother, she went on to become a lawyer, then District Attorney in Queens, followed by election to Congress, to her eventual nomination for Vice President.
She changed the way people thought of the role of women in American politics at a time when Women’s Liberation was beginning to roar.
It is a moving tribute by not only her daughter, but also commentary by leading political figures. They included President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush, Vice President Walter Mondale, President Bill Clinton, Secretary Madeleine Albright, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Senator Barbara Mikulski, Senator Olympia Snowe, Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi, ABC reporter Cokie Roberts, former Wall Street Journal reporter Al Hunt, Republican campaign consultant Ed Rollins, and Eleanor Smeal, President Feminist Majority Foundation.The list reads like a Who’s Who of political operatives of that era.
Geraldine Ferraro was the keynote speaker at the 1985 New York Press Association Convention, and we got to know her a bit then. We marveled at her ability to connect to each person. This was the 40th anniversary of her run for vice president, and her struggle for women’s rights is as pertinent now as it was then.
Lou Reed and Paul Simon will be honored on March 9. Photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
By Rita J. Egan
Music lovers will experience two distinctive sounds during the Sunday Street Concert on March 9 at The Long Island Museum.
Local singers Gene Casey; Caroline Doctorow; Andrew, Andie Juliette and Cole Fortier; Bryan Gallo; Ray Lambiase; Russ Seeger; and Hank Stone will come together to commemorate the music of two legends — Lou Reed and Paul Simon. Both are inductees in the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame.
Andrew Fortier said he finds Simon and Reed to be polar opposites.
“I also think they’re both geniuses and brilliant and really that’s the fun discovery of it all,” he said.
Producer Charlie Backfish said during the concert, titled Lou Reed & Paul Simon: Two Songwriters from Long Island, the artists will each perform one song from Simon’s catalog and one of Reed’s songs. Simon, 83, and Reed, who passed away in 2013 at the age of 71, both have ties to Long Island.
Born in Brooklyn, Reed graduated from Freeport High School in 1959 while Simon graduated from Forest Hills High School in Queens in 1958.
Reed played guitar and was a member of a doo-wop group in his younger days, while Simon, along with classmate Art Garfunkel, joined forces first as the group Tom and Jerry. The duo would go on to record simply as Simon and Garfunkel and recorded hits such as “I Am a Rock” and “Scarborough Fair” before Simon pursued a solo career. Reed also embarked on a solo path after being a member of the rock group Velvet Underground for five years.
The artistic paths of both accomplished singers and songwriters would cross in 1980 when Simon wrote and starred in One Trick Pony. Reed played a record executive in the same film.
Backfish said he chose the two artists for this show because of their ties to Long Island as well as their musical genres, which are “rather different, although they share some common roots.”
He added that the two, in addition to graduating from Long Island high schools and appearing in a movie together, both had an interest in Doo Wop. According to Backfish, their interests in the genre continued throughout their careers.
“Obviously not every recording, but there are elements of it in their music, and especially in their early years that kind of intrigued me,” he said.
Ray Lambiase, who chose Reed’s “Pale Blue Eyes” to perform, said as he was deciding on a song from the singer’s catalog, especially from Velvet Underground, “I was struck by how — as quirky as his recordings were — you can still pick up an acoustic guitar, and they still have the fundamental elements of a well-written song.”
Lambiase said finding a Simon song is as challenging as picking a Reed song. He added that many of Simon’s songs can be musically challenging.
“Paul Simon is such a terrific guitar player that a lot of his songs are difficult to play,” he said.
“There are some songs that are simpler than others, but he was a very sophisticated guitar player, and also his chord patterns were much more sophisticated than what we would think of as traditional folk singers.”
Lambiase will perform “Paranoia Blues” from Simon’s first solo album, which he feels will be a fun song compared to some of his more serious pieces.
“It might be a good idea to break things up and show that he had a humorous side, too,” the performer said.
Caroline Doctorow, who will sing Simon’s “The Dangling Conversation,” which she recorded on her “Dreaming in Vinyl” album, and Reed’s “Sunday Morning,” said it’s important for performers to try to sound different than the original artists.
“You want to add something to your interpretation,” Doctorow said, adding it can be “challenging in a really wonderful way.”
“I’m so happy that Charlie does these shows,” she said. “It’s a nice opportunity to just spread your wings a little bit in a way that you might not otherwise.
Andrew Fortier agreed that the concert series and Backfish’s WUSB-FM radio program “Sunday Street” take performers and listeners on a journey, introducing them to singers they may have never considered.
He added he feels the audience will enjoy hearing both artists’ music and that fans of one will find the other songwriter’s work fresh and new. Fortier and his children, Cole and Andie Juliette, were on a road trip listening to some of Simon’s and Reed’s work to look for songs that resonated with them.
“The truth of it is that it is really fun when you dive into an artist that you really aren’t that familiar with, because you really can dig deep, and you really get an appreciation for what they do,” Fortier said.
Andie Juliette Fortier added, “It’s always interesting. It gives you a chance to get to know each artist a little bit more and really explore parts of their catalog you maybe wouldn’t normally listen to.”
Singer/songwriters Lou Reed and Paul Simon, pictured here in their high school yearbooks, will be honored during the March 9 concert. Photos courtesy of Charlie Backfish
After listening to Simon’s and Reed’s work, Andrew Fortier decided to sing Simon’s “Still Crazy After All These Years” and Reed’s “Satellite of Love.” Andie Juliette Fortier will perform “Kathy’s Song” by Simon and “I’ll Be Your Mirror” by Reed. Cole Fortier has chosen Simon’s “Hearts and Bones” and “Going Down” by Reed.
The Fortiers are looking forward to hearing the other performers’ interpretations, too.
“There’s always surprises,” Andie Juliette Fortier said. “It’s always nice to hear how people interpret different songs and put their own style on it.
Lambiase said he enjoys the “insights from the different steps of the journey of their personal growth and journeys” when he performs an artist’s work at a Sunday Street concert.
“I think that’s a really big part of the show to humanize the artists by taking their songs and reducing them to their core essentials, and keeping some insight into their journey, because every musician, especially people with careers as long as Paul Simon and Lou Reed, there’s a beginning, a middle and the later part.”
Doctorow said older songs usually stir up a sense of nostalgia, and she hopes audience members will remember the music, and the songs will bring back memories while they connect with them in a new way.
“It’s like that Hugh Prestwood song — called ‘The Song Remembers When,’” she said. “You hear these songs from your youth, and you remember things that you might not normally remember. It just sort of washes over you, and in difficult times like we’re in now, the songs comfort people.”
Sunday Street Concert Lou Reed & Paul Simon: Two Songwriters from Long Island is produced by Charlie Backfish and is a not-for-profit collaboration with WUSB-FM, The Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council and The Long Island Museum.
The show takes place on Sunday, March 9 at 5 p.m. in The Gillespie Room at The Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook. Advance sale tickets are $25, plus a service fee, through March 7. Tickets at the door are $30, cash only. For more information, visit www.sundaystreet.org.
Kicking off a new free film series, Film@LIM, the Long Isand Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook in partnership with the Greater Port Jefferson Northern Brookhaven Arts Council will screen Geraldine Ferraro: Paving the Way in the Carriage Museum’s Gillespie Room on Tuesday, March 4 at 7 p.m.
Enjoy an inspiring film about Geraldine Ferraro’s historic Vice-Presidential nomination, and the first full profile of the trailblazing woman who helped change the face of American politics forever.
Geraldine Ferraro: Paving the Way is a feature-length documentary about the life of the trailblazing woman who made history in 1984 as the first female Vice Presidential nominee on a major national party Presidential ticket.
The film profiles Ferraro’s journey from an impoverished childhood, the struggles she endured while growing up, and the hurdles she faced and overcame both professionally and personally in order to achieve what no woman had done before.
A primary focus of the film is Ferraro’s public service and political career, from District Attorney in Queens, NY, and later member of Congress, to the emotional night of her Vice Presidential nomination and the tough campaign that followed. Though the Mondale-Ferraro ticket was ultimately not elected, the film explores how Ferraro’s nomination and her conduct during that campaign changed the national perception of what was possible for women.
The film features never-before-seen archival footage and stills, intimate interviews with Ferraro, and commentary by many leading political figures, both Democrat and Republican, as well as journalists who covered her campaign.
The screening will be followed by a talk from Donna Zaccaro, Geraldine Ferraro’s daughter and the film’s director and producer.
Admission is free but registration is preferred by visiting www.longislandmuseum.org/events or click here.
The Long Island Museum (LIM), 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook presents the 26th Annual Colors of Long Island Student Art Exhibition, opening on February 20. This highly anticipated exhibition provides a platform for hundreds of young artists from across Long Island to display their work in a professional museum setting.
‘Peanut Butter Jelly Time’ by Kelly Cabasso
Art teachers from public and private schools, spanning grades pre-K through 12, were invited to submit up to two pieces of student artwork. The exhibition’s theme, “Colors of Long Island,” encourages a broad spectrum of interpretations—some students reflect on Long Island’s scenic landscapes, while others highlight the cultural diversity that makes the region so vibrant. This year’s exhibition features a dynamic mix of media, including watercolor, sculpture, pencil, ink, oil pastel, photography, and digital art.
“With over 278 students participating, this exhibition is a testament to the remarkable talent and creativity of the young artists on Long Island,” said Samantha O’Rourke, Senior Educator at the LIM. “Each piece reflects not only the students’ artistic talent but also the dedication of art educators who inspire and guide them. It’s always incredible to see how young artists use their work to tell stories, share perspectives, and express their individuality.”
The Colors of Long Island Student Art Exhibition will be on view in the Art Museum from February 20 through May 8, 2025. For more information on programs and exhibitions, visit longislandmuseum.org
'Voices and Votes' will be on view at the Long Island Museum through April 6. Photo from LIM
Special Exhibition Opening February 20 in Advance of Women’s History Month
The Long Island Museum (LIM), 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook has announced the arrival of “A New Agora for New York: Museums as Spaces for Democracy,” a humanities discussion series that includes the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street traveling exhibition, Voices and Votes: Democracy in America and LIM’s response exhibition Building the Ballot Box: Long Island’s Democratic History opening on February 20, in advance of Women’s History Month. These engaging and thought-provoking exhibitions and programs will examine nearly 250 years of history, exploring the ongoing pursuit to form “a more perfect union.”
The only Smithsonian Affiliate Institution in the Nassau-Suffolk region, LIM collects, preserves, interprets, and celebrates Long Island’s richly diverse past and its storied role in our nation’s history.
“The Long Island Museum is honored to be involved in this statewide conversation about democracy,” said Co-Executive Director Joshua Ruff. “In our response exhibition and planned programs, we will especially explore how political participation throughout our region has expanded and been a shifting, challenging, and inspirational terrain over time.”
‘Building the Ballot Box’ will be on view at the Long Island Museum through May 18. Photo from LIM
Building the Ballot Box, on view through May 18, will examine the role this region played in history from the Women’s suffrage movement, Civil Rights, and other movements in political history. This exhibition will include key artifacts like the Suffrage Wagon that was across New York State in public events to advocate for women’s suffrage in 1917. Other objects highlight regional trailblazers such as Shirley Chisholm, the first Black US Congresswoman, and Geraldine Ferraro, the first female candidate nominated for Vice President by a major political party.
Voices and Votes, on view through April 6, is based on a major exhibition currently on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith, and includes many of the same dynamic features: historical and contemporary photographs; educational and archival video; engaging multimedia interactives, and historical objects like campaign souvenirs, voter memorabilia, and protest material.
The Museum Association of New York (MANY) is the statewide organizer for the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service’s Museum on Main Street program bringing Voices and Votes: Democracy in America to twelve museums across New York State. The Long Island Museum is the seventh institution in the state to participate in “A New Agora for New York” and host the Voices and Votes exhibition.
“Long Island is full of inspiring stories of civic engagement and significant ‘firsts’ in America’s 250 years of democratic history,” said MANY Agora Project Fellow Ren Lee. “We are thrilled to work with the Long Island Museum as they use Voices and Votes as a launching point to engage with their community through these exhibitions and a truly fantastic lineup of programs.”
The Voices and Votes exhibition will be on view in the Cowles Gallery of LIM’s History Museum. Building the Ballot Box will be on view directly adjacent to Voices and Votes, in the History Museum’s Main Gallery. These exhibitions will be accompanied by a series of programs including a drop-in day for Girl Scouts on Friday February 21 andan American Experiments Game Night on Feb. 27.
For a full description of the exhibitions and all programs, visit the Long Island Museum’s website longislandmuseum.org
The Long Island Museum, WUSB 90.1 FM and The Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council present the last Sunday Street concert of 2024, “Byrds Fly South,” at the Long Island Museum’s Gillespie Room, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook on Sunday, Dec. 15 at 5 p.m.
The concert will celebrating the songs of The Byrds featuring ‘Full Circle’ (Pete Mancini, Rich Lanahan, Gerry McKeveny, Mark Mancini, and Bill Herman) and special guests.
Join them for the songs of this great American band featuring those written by Gene Clark, Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman, and Gram Parsons. With their seminal 1968 ‘Sweetheart of the Rodeo’ album, The Byrds incorporated country sounds into their repertory, adding songs like ‘Drug Store Truck Drivin’ Man’ to the early Byrds classics of ‘Eight Miles High’ and ‘I’ll Feel A Whole Better’ and their versions of Dylan songs.
Advance tickets are $21 at www.sundaystreet.org with tickets at the door for $25 (cash only) or click here.
The Long Island Museum (LIM), 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook and LIMarts are delighted to announce the opening of the 11th Annual Members’ Exhibition, Milestones. This year’s exhibition holds special significance as the museum celebrates its 85th anniversary, reflecting on its legacy as a cultural cornerstone in the community.
On view hrough December 22 in the LIM History Museum, Milestones brings together the creative visions of over 100 LIMarts members. Each piece represents a unique interpretation of personal and collective milestones, highlighting moments of growth, change, and reflection through art.
‘Fam*ly of Humans – THEY ARE US!,’ mixed media installation by Linda Louis
Embracing the goal of enhancing and supporting Long Island’s rich artistic talent, LIM established LIMarts: a collaborative arts group for visual artists. LIMarts provides its members with opportunities to exhibit and sell artwork, participate in programming events and lectures, and engage with both fellow artists and the public. Designed to foster a creative forum within the cultural community, LIMarts has become an essential resource for the region’s artists.
In addition to showcasing exceptional artwork, Milestones offers art enthusiasts an opportunity to acquire pieces from some of Long Island’s finest artists. Most works on display are available for purchase, with a portion of proceeds benefiting LIM’s ongoing programs and initiatives. All purchased pieces will remain on view for the duration of the exhibition.
“The annual LIMarts exhibition is one of the most exciting highlights of the year,” said Alexandria D’Auria, Director of Development. “With its eclectic group of talented artists, Milestones showcases the creative spirit of our members while offering an opportunity for the community to support and connect with local artists. This year’s exhibition is a testament to the power of art to inspire, celebrate milestones, and bring people together.”
The exhibition is generously supported by: Robert W. Baird Incorporated, The Carol & Arnold Wolowitz Foundation, The Smithtown Community Trust.
For more information about Milestones or to become an LIMArts member please visit longislandmuseum.org
Bus transport will take visitors to all three sites and educators and artists will be on hand in the galleries. This event is free for all — no registration is required.
Participants can check in at either location. Let a staff member know you are there for the LIM x Zuccaire Gallery Afternoon of Art. A staff member will also direct you to the shuttle bus. To check in at the Long Island Museum, head directly to the Art Museum building. At the Zuccaire Gallery at the Staller Center, you can check in at the front desk of the gallery. The first bus will leave from the Zuccaire Gallery at 12:30 pm.
For more information, call 631-751-0066 (LIM) or 631-632-7240 (Zuccaire Gallery)
*Please note that the historic Hawkins-Mount house is not handicap accessible.
The Long Island Museum (LIM), 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook, has announced the opening of ArtABILITY ‘24, a traveling art exhibition organized by the Spirit of Huntington Art Center that showcases the talents of individuals on Long Island and the surrounding area living with various physical and cognitive challenges.
Its purpose is to educate the community about the remarkable talents of people with diverse abilities, inspire people to reach beyond their limitations to explore their own creativity, and promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in the arts. This year’s exhibition will be on view in the History Museum at the LIM from Sept. 19 through Oct. 13 with an Open House on Sept. 28 from noon to 1:30 p.m.
Ingrid Cuadra, the Spirit of Huntington Art Center’s ArtABILITY Program Director and Art Shows/Events Coordinator, and Michael Kitakis, Executive Director, said, “We are honored and thrilled to have partnered with all of our partners to host this amazing tour. I know this is an incredible opportunity for our exhibition to be on view during significant events the Long Island Museum is hosting.”
Spirit of Huntington offers art classes that provide a unique opportunity for students to enjoy a stress free, therapeutic environment that fosters creativity and self-esteem. ArtABILITY ‘24 celebrates the accomplishments of the artists and the many non-profit partner organizations that support their day-to-day lives and who believe in the impact the arts can have on individuals with varying abilities.
“It has been a wonderful process partnering with the Spirit of Huntongton to bring the ArtAbility ’24 exhibition to the Long Island Museum, said Kristin Cuomo, Senior Educator at the LIM. “We are thrilled to recognize the work that they do to make rich cultural and artistic experience accessible to all Long Islanders and look forward to sharing an exhibition that centers the stories of people with disabilities in our community.”
Other partner organizations include: AHRC Suffolk, Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau, FREE-Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Life’s WORC, RISE Life Services, South Huntington School District, Pal- O- Mine, TSINY – Transitional Services of New York, Winters Center for Autism, SYJCC-Butler Center, and the Mid-Island YJCC-Adler Center for Special Needs.
ArtABILITY is funded in part by Suffolk County Department of Economic Planning, Legislators Stephanie Bontempi, Tom Donnelly, and Rebecca Sanin, and made possible with the support of TD Charitable Foundation, AHRC Suffolk, RISE Life Services, Family Residences & Essential Enterprises, Life’s WORC, and Winters Center for Autism.
This event is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and administered by the Huntington Arts Council.
For more information, visit www.longislandmuseum.org.
Geraldine Ferraro: Paving the Way is a feature-length documentary about the life of the trailblazing woman who made history in 1984 as the first female Vice Presidential nominee on a major national party Presidential ticket.
