On this week’s show we will celebrate New Yorkers whom you may not have heard of but who have played an important role in the City’s African American History.

My guests will be author and local historian Erik K. Washington, who will talk about his recent book Boss of the Grips, The Life of James H. Williams and the Red Caps of Grand Central Terminal; and Founder and Artistic Director of On Site Opera, who will speak about On Site’s upcoming production of The Road We Came, a project that explores the composers, musicians and places that define the rich African American history of the City.

Tune in for this fascinating conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.

Show NotesSegment 1

On tonight's episode we’re going to take a walk through the past and talk about very influential people Eric K Washington as our first guest He’s the owner of tagging the past which reconnects forgot history to present landscapes. Through articles and talks and tours. Eric loves New York and sadly when he was three months old his parents moved to Staten Island, and when he was 16 he returned to New York to live in Harlem and New York has become the best for most of his life now. Eric is a writer who has won an award for his book called boss of the grips The life of James H Williams. It’s a heartwarming story about the determined nation and ambition. The inspiration for his book came from a mature tour through Grand Central Station that he created. 

Segment 2

if you want to take a look at Eric’s tours for tagging the past you can go to ekwashington.com. James H Williams grew up in New York. He was a child of two former slaves in Virginia. He was born in 1878. His florist Charles Thoroughly played a major part in Williams's life because he helped him get the job at Grand Central Station he was the first African-American to work on Grand Central Station. Williams worked with Charles at the flower shop and it helped him really in the city. They were thinking of changing the system From all white red cab to all black red caps. and they thought William was the perfect candidate because he knew the city and had a good temperament and he was great with people. In six years he would move up to be one of the head guys working on Grand Central Station and also be an activist Working with NAACP And raising the most money.

Segment 3

Our second guest are the creators of an opera Celebrating Black New Yorkers. The opera company is called on-site opera and I produce operas in nontraditional venues. By staging operas in places traditional to the opera itself itself. amplifying the world of the opera and its audience. The creators of the latest creation which will be premiering in June called the Road we came. Eric Einhorn, is the artistic director of the company. Glimmerglass festival and the MET are just some of his achievements. Robert McKinney is another part of the company. He’s been called one of the finest singers of his generation and is celebrated by the opera news as a voice that drips with gold. With many things closed because of the pandemic Ryan adapted his love of opera to the film screen. At the beginning of the quarantine he found a keep the music going productions. He took live and recorded performances to raise money for The artist struggling during this time.

Segment 4

On-site opera takes place It’s centers around three Part of Manhattan and upper Manhattan Midtown tour. The places that this takes place this place is that you’ll No already. Carnegie Hall Lincoln Center just to name a few. It takes pleasure in places you know if you were in New Yorker but also places that you would walk by and think nothing of. They include a lot of historical figures like links to Hughes Shag burgers center. there’s a lot of sections about the underground, And information on Frederick Douglass. very influential people tor black history. You can be standing in such an influential place with so much history and you wouldn’t even be aware of it. That’s what Eric and Robert really try to show you through the power of opera.