The New York Preservation Archive Project Film Festival Presents:  

The Case Against Lincoln Center
Newsreel, 1968, 12 min
More than 20,000 Latino families were displaced to make way for Lincoln Center, home to the Metropolitan Opera and the New York Symphony. This film examines the patrons of an art complex and the culture displayed there. Juxtaposing the atmosphere of Lincoln Center with the vibrant street culture of a displaced neighborhood, the film correctly predicts the process by which the West Side was to be turned into a high-rent area for the upper middle class.

A Sense of Pride: Hamilton Heights (on 16mm Film!)
Monica J. Freeman, 1977, 15 min
Monica J. Freeman’s serene portrait of Hamilton Heights at the peak of its brownstone revival is a testament to the cohesion and spirit of an African-American middle class fighting hard for its place in a depressed city, and, in the process, returning a grand old neighborhood to its rightful splendor.

Followed by Q&A with Harlem historian John Reddick, Hamilton Heights preservationist Yuien Chin, and New York City preservationist George Calderaro.

Special Thanks to:  Elena Rossi-Snook of the Reserve Film and Video Collection at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

The New York Preservation Archive Project is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to documenting, preserving, and celebrating the history of historic preservation in New York City.