North Country Community College, the Adirondack Diversity Initiative, the Adirondack North Country Association and John Brown Lives! are collaborating to present a series of timely and necessary online programs that shine light on Black History in the Adirondacks.

8/6: Peter Nelson - The story of Timbuctoo: Black voting rights in the Adirondacks, 7 p.m.

"In the 1840's the North Elba region in the Adirondacks was the location of a grand effort to establish voting right for free blacks, who by law had to own property in order to participate in elections. The story of Timbuctoo begins with massive collection of land grants to black families, a handful of whom carved out small farming communities in the Adirondacks and earned the power to vote. Their legacy is a cornerstone of Adirondack history and a milestone in the effort of black Americans to become full citizens in their own country."

8/13: Tom McGrath - Abolitionist Rising: The Tortured Life of John Brown, 7 p.m.

John Brown’s 59 years on earth were marked by struggle, failure, and heartbreak. Throughout his life, however, one constant remained: a festering hatred for the institution of slavery. This lecture explores Brown’s incredible life, which ultimately led to his emergence as a violent abolitionist crusader.

8/20: Tom McGrath - Hanging from the Beam: Harpers Ferry and the Execution of John Brown, 7 p.m.

 By 1859 John Brown was convinced that extreme measures must be taken to abolish slavery. This lecture follows Brown’s failed attempt to start a slave insurrection at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, his trial, and public execution. We will then follow Brown’s body through the Adirondacks to his final resting place in North Elba.

8/27: Peter Nelson - Place Names in the Adirondacks: A Diverse Past, 7 p.m.

“The history of life and work in the Adirondacks is much more racially and culturally diverse than people realize. But while this history has been neglected and mostly forgotten, its imprint lives on in place names found throughout the Park. Come learn the fascinating stories of some of the names we see in the region and the people whose presence and labors defined them.”

The presentations are free, although registration is required so invitation details can be sent to participants.