Museum At Bethel Woods

1960S ORAL HISTORIES ? NEW YORK COMMUNITY CONNECTORS [1960S ORAL HISTORIES ? NEW YORK COMMUNITY CONNECTORS WILL UTILIZE TEAMS TO ORGANIZE, CONNECT, AND COLLECT STORIES OF THE 1960S COUNTERCULTURE EXPERIENCE WITH A FOCUS ON GATHERING STORIES FROM VOICES THAT ARE UNDER-RECORDED WITHIN THE HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT. SPECIAL ATTENTION WILL BE PLACED ON COLLECTING STORIES FROM DIVERSE AND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. THE GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS IS NEW YORK CITY. ALONGSIDE A PROJECT MANAGER AND COORDINATOR, A COMMUNITY CONSULTANT WILL SERVE AS THE CONNECTOR IN EACH COMMUNITY. A TEAM OF FIVE WILL WORK AS A COLLECTIVE TO DEVELOP QUESTIONS AND OUTLINES. PICTURES AND MAPS, WILL AID IN STORYTELLING AND MEMORY RECALL. PHASE 1 IS CENTERED IN IN HARLEM, WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, AND INWOOD. IT IS FOCUSED ON COLLECTING THE STORIES OF PEOPLE THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND OTHER COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. PHASE 2 DRAWS FROM THE UPPER WEST SIDE, THE VILLAGE AND BROOKLYN. IT IS FOCUSED ON COLLECTING THE STORIES OF PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY WITH THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITIES.]

THE MUSEUM AT BETHEL WOODS WILL BUILD UPON ITS ORAL HISTORY INITIATIVE TO DOCUMENT PERSONAL STORIES OF THE CATSKILLS, THE WOODSTOCK FESTIVAL, AND COMMUNITY ACTIVISM DURING THE 1960S AND 1970S. THE MUSEUM WILL PARTNER WITH THE BORSCHT BELT MUSEUM AND THE BORSCHT BELT MARKER PROJECT TO ORGANIZE ORAL HISTORY POP-UPS AND CONDUCT LONG-FORM INTERVIEWS. MUSEUM STAFF WILL PROCESS AND TRANSCRIBE ORAL HISTORIES AND CONTRACT WITH AN OUTSIDE ADVISOR TO ENSURE ADHERENCE TO ETHICAL STANDARDS AND BEST PRACTICES. THE PROJECT WILL RESULT IN 60 VIDEOTAPED ORAL HISTORIES THAT WILL BE USED BY ALL THREE INSTITUTIONS IN EXHIBITS AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS TO HELP COMMEMORATE THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICA. THIS COLLABORATIVE PROJECT WILL EXPAND PARTNERSHIPS AND CONTRIBUTE TO ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY-BUILDING. DOCUMENTING THESE RAPIDLY DISAPPEARING PERSONAL ACCOUNTS WILL ENHANCE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF A FORMATIVE PERIOD IN OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY.

CONNECTING THREADS: PRESERVING THE FABRIC OF THE 1960S WOODSTOCK FESTIVAL [THIS GRANT WILL SUPPORT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE MUSEUM?S COLLECTIONS STORAGE AREA BASED ON THE PRIORITIES OF A 2023 CAP ASSESSMENT AND REPORT. NAMELY, THE PURCHASE OF NEW, MORE ADVANCED ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORS/DATA LOGGERS, A TEXTILE STORAGE CABINET, AND ADDITIONAL ARCHIVAL STORAGE BOXES. THIS WILL IMPROVE HOUSING CONDITIONS FOR CRITICAL COLLECTIONS AND PROVIDE MUSEUM STAFF WITH MUCH CLEARER INFORMATION ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS IN COLLECTIONS STORAGE AREAS AND EXHIBITION GALLERIES IN PREPARATION FOR A 2028 PERMANENT EXHIBIT RENOVATION. PROPOSED CHANGES AND EXPANSIONS OF THE COLLECTIONS STORAGE SPACE AND LONG-TERM EXHIBITION PLANS ARE PART OF CURRENT STRATEGIC PLANNING.]