TOWN OF RED HOOK
7340 South Broadway
Red Hook, NY 12571
Phone (845) 758-4600
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News Brief
Contact: Robert McKeon, Supervisor
Phone: (845) 758-4622
October 8, 2019
VILLAGE OF TIVOLI ANNOUNCES ELEANOR ROOSEVELT CELEBRATION AND BRONZE BUST DEDICATION
“Where, after all, do human rights begin? In small places, close to home…”
—Eleanor Roosevelt to the United Nations,1958
On the weekend of October 11-13, 2019, the village of Tivoli will celebrate former resident Eleanor Roosevelt and honor her contribution to the creation and adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) with the permanent outdoor installation of a bronze bust of the First Lady. The Eleanor Roosevelt “Small Places” Commemoration begins on the evening of October 11 and will feature talks and exhibits on her life and legacy, and her commitment to the championing of human rights both globally and locally. All events are free and open to the public.
By her own account, the comparatively happiest times of Eleanor Roosevelt’s childhood were spent in a “small place” called Tivoli, the village closest to Oak Lawn, the country home of her maternal grandmother, Mary Livingston Ludlow Hall, with whom ER lived after the death of her parents. Her ethos of empathy, compassion, and unflinching respect for all—leading to her work with the United Nations—was shaped in large part by her early experiences in this small, close-knit community on the Hudson River.
The Eleanor Roosevelt "Small Places" Commemoration starts on Fri. Oct.11 at 6 p.m. on the third floor of the Watts-De Peyster Hall, with a reception and celebration of Mrs. Roosevelt’s 135th birthday, featuring a talk by Jeffrey Urbin, Director for Education at the FDR Presidential Library. There is also an exhibit dedicated to ER as a Tivolian and on her work on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is on loan from the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College.
Saturday’s program begins at 10 a.m. at 39 Woods Road, adjacent to St. Paul's Church, with a ribbon cutting and remarks by Tivoli Mayor, Joel Griffith, Mrs. Roosevelt’s granddaughter, Laura Roosevelt, Reverend Allen Shin, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, the Rev. Canon James Elliot Lindsley, and others. An informal lunch will follow at the Watts-De Peyster Hall, 86 Broadway, Tivoli.
The afternoon will include presentations by Franceska Macsali-Urbin, the Supervising Ranger at the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, aka Val-Kill; Sally-Dwyer McNulty, Professor of History at Marist College; Larry Cox, former Executive Director of Amnesty International USA, and a panel discussion lead by Jen Drake and Jodi Miller of the Dutchess County Commission on Human Rights, including Deputy Commissioner for Special Needs, Toni Ciarfella, Hudson Valley LGBTQ Center Director, Jeff Rindler, and the Worker Justice Center of New York’s Human Trafficking Specialist, Cecilia Cortina among others.
On Sunday morning, The Rev. Masud Ibn Syedullah will lead A Festive Service Commemorating the Life and Legacy of Eleanor Roosevelt, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Paul's & Trinity Parish, 39 Woods Road, Tivoli.
According to Tivoli’s Deputy Mayor and Town of Red Hook Historian, Emily Majer: “Eleanor Roosevelt was a remarkable woman of tremendous strength, empathy, perseverance, wit, and willpower. It is an honor to have the opportunity to commemorate likely her greatest accomplishment, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and, of course, to celebrate her as a Tivolian.”
The bronze bust, (see picture below) designed by renowned Czech sculptor, Marie Seborova, was commissioned and donated by Art for Amnesty founder, Bill Shipsey in recognition of UDHR on its 70th anniversary. To date, identical busts have been placed in sites of significance around the world—France, Italy, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and at Columbia Law School in Manhattan. In Tivoli, the bust will be sited adjacent to St. Paul's Church, where Eleanor Roosevelt's parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and brothers are interred. Visitors will find a quiet and accessible spot to contemplate Roosevelt’s life and impact.
An online fundraising campaign has been initiated to help prepare the site, repurpose a 150-year-old bluestone sidewalk, create a patio with benches, install landscaping, erect a stone pedestal, and cast a plaque.
More information about the campaign can be found here:
https://www.gofundme.com/manage/eleanor-roosevelt-tivoli-udhr-commemoration/donations
Eleanor Roosevelt “Small Places” Commemoration, Oct. 11 - 12;
Reception and celebration Friday, October 11th, 6 p.m., Watts-De Peyster Hall, 86 Broadway, Tivoli
Ribbon cutting ceremony Saturday, October 12th, 10 a.m., St. Paul’s Church, 39 Woods Road, Tivoli
Speakers and panel discussion beginning around 1 p.m., Watts-De Peyster Hall, 86 Broadway, Tivoli
A Festive Service Commemorating the Life and Legacy of Eleanor Roosevelt, Sunday, October 13th, 10:00 a.m. St. Paul's & Trinity Parish, 39 Woods Road, Tivoli
All events are free and open to the public, all are welcome. http://www.tivoliny.org
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Tivoli is a 1.8 square mile, picturesque village located entirely within the Hudson River National Historic Landmark District. Settled by 1727, the Village was incorporated in 1872 and today is a thriving community of 1,107 who enjoy the natural beauty and rich architectural heritage.
Commemoration Flyer
Bronze Bust - Eleanor Roosevelt
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