News 12 is honoring Black History
Month by exploring the city of Newburgh's rich African American history on this
Road Trip: Close to home.
Resident Tashae Smith
developed a self-guided audio walking tour on
Soundandstory.org.The
former Alsdorf Hall School of Music and Dancing at 93 Liberty Street is
the first stop on the tour. It was used by the Alsdorf family, former slaves and
Underground Railroad activists.
“Those are the historic vibrations from more than 100 years of sound and music
echoing from this location," explains Smith.
Then head around the corner to the oldest African American
church in the Hudson Valley and the first in the city of Newburgh. The American Methodist
Episcopal Zion church is a center of faith for many residents.
The
church still stands with a beautiful facade that pays homage to its history.
The tour continues down Washington Street to
the Alsdorf House. It was a
safe house for runaway slaves. For the past 28 years — it has stood as a
Black-owned liquor store.
The final stop on the walking
tour is what was once known as The Colored School. This whole area at the corner of
Washington and Lake streets is part of the forgotten history of the
city where not a lot of information survives today. One piece
of information could be verified: "After 24 years of operation, the
colored school was officially closed and the African American children were
integrated into Newburgh's surrounding grammar schools.”