“Treasures of New York: Bowne House” is part of PBS’ Black Excellence Block Party series, in honor of Black History Month
The episode will air on NY Channel 13 on Sunday, February 18 at 7pm
Come on over to our block party in February! We are celebrating Black excellence during Black History Month with a look at Black Americans who have made indelible marks on history with their artistry, professional achievements, and activism. Their stories inspire film premieres and broadcasts this month, as well as the illuminating documentaries and episodes to stream in February, including a series Maya Angelou produced and hosted in 1968.
- PBS Thirteen
Treasures of New York: Bowne House
Sunday, February 18 at 7 p.m.
From the fight for religious freedom, to the Underground Railroad, Treasures of New York: Bowne House is our local production that traces the history held in a 17th century house that’s now a museum in Flushing, Queens. Bowne House the only recognized location in Queens on the National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.
Beginning with John Bowne (1627-1695), a white man who immigrated to New York in 1649 from England, the film explores the role generations of Bowne House occupants have played in the history of New York City. The museum is also a research facility with archival holdings describing the role Bowne family members played in the Underground Railroad in New York.
The episode dives into the life and work of John Bowne and his descendants, exploring his imprisonment for hosting Quaker meetings and his detailed, handwritten journal. Bowne demanded the right to “liberty of conscience,” which set the stage for the guarantee of religious freedom in the First Amendment.