Blog posts by Bo Méndez

POTW: The Migration of Mexican Cuisine

Bo Méndez

Old Mexico Restaurant[Old Mexico Restaurant, 115 Montague Street, Brooklyn Heights.], 1959, V1974.4.295; John D. Morrell photographs, Brooklyn Historical Society.
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! This month-long observance encourages Americans to recognize and celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of communities who trace their heritage to Spanish-speaking populations from Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America, as well as Spain itself.Hispanic Heritage Month begins every year on September 15 and extends through October 15. Its unique timeframe…

POTW: Brooklyn is not a Place, It is a People

Bo Méndez

Teaching Ballet Class Remotely, March 2020.Lauren Jaeger, Teaching ballet class remotely, March 30, 2020, 2020.003.222; Brooklyn Historical Society COVID-19 collection, 2020.003; Brooklyn Historical Society.
Over the past several weeks, our Photos of the Week have expressed gratitude for Brooklyn and New York’s essential workers who have been keeping the city going during the COVID-19 pandemic and resultant shelter in place circumstances. In this final installment of this series, we’re putting focus on a different facet essential to Brooklyn: Brooklynites themselves. In a…

Backgrounds of Brooklyn: Historical Flair for Your Video Calls!

Bo Méndez

[Panorama of Brooklyn and Manhattan waterfronts] [Panorama of Brooklyn and Manhattan waterfronts], circa 1910, photographic prints, v1976.2.268; Edward B. Watson photographs and prints collection, Brooklyn Historical Society.
Video chats and conference calls have become a routine element of our everyday experiences of work, school, and connecting with family or friends. Add a bit of…

POTW: Taking Stock of Staying Stocked

Bo Méndez

Interior of Sahadi Importing Company, Brooklyn, N.Y[Interior of Sahadi Importing Company, Brooklyn, N.Y], circa 1983, v1992.35.5; Jim Kalett photographs for "Brooklyn -- and How it Got that Way", Brooklyn Historical Society.
During these weeks of sheltering in place, we will be honoring Brooklyn’s essential workers: the people who keep us fed, provide groceries and other essentials, clean homes and workplaces, and take care of us when we’re sick.This week we're honoring our borough's tireless grocery store workers, who have been working to keep food, household needs, and…

The Recap: Toxic City

Bo Méndez

An ad for Dutch Boy brand lead paintUsed in Dr. David Rosner's presentation for this program.
Each Recap post highlights a recent public program featured at Brooklyn Historical Society.  Scroll to the bottom of the page to hear the program in its entirety.How can we combat a toxin that is all around us?In New York City, which has some of the oldest housing stock in the country, thousands of pounds of lead-based paint and the dust or chips it can produce have accumulated on the walls, ceilings, and other surfaces in public and private housing, as well as schools, offices, and…

BHS's Young Scholars Program wins 2019 AASLH Award of Excellence for Leadership in History

Bo Méndez

The AASLH Leadership In History Awards is the Nation’s Most Prestigious Competition for Recognition of Achievement in State and Local History.

CASA Young Scholars visit the Othmer Library
Brooklyn Historical Society is proud to announce that it has been named the recipient of the 2019 American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) Award of Excellence for its Young Scholars program.  The AASLH Leadership in History Awards

BHS's Young Scholars Program wins 2019 AASLH Award of Excellence for Leadership in History

Bo Méndez

The AASLH Leadership In History Awards is the Nation’s Most Prestigious Competition for Recognition of Achievement in State and Local History.

CASA Young Scholars visit the Othmer Library
Brooklyn Historical Society is proud to announce that it has been named the recipient of the 2019 American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) Award of Excellence for its Young Scholars program.  The AASLH Leadership in History Awards