Black Historic Sites in Conversation is a series of virtual talks in collaboration with Black heritage sites.
The Rossville African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church is a rare and important surviving building from the period when Sandy Ground was a prosperous African American community on Staten Island.
The founder and first minister of the church was William H. Pitts, a Virginia-born African Methodist Episcopal Zion minister who purchased land in Sandy Ground in May 1849, began holding prayer services in his home, and formally established the church in December 1850. By 1890 the congregation had outgrown its first church and purchased this site.
The present building was constructed in 1897 by Tottenville builder-developer Andrew Abrams. Originally a simple clapboarded vernacular frame structure with a gabled entrance porch, the building has been reclad with faux brick siding but retains its original form and fenestration pattern. It survives as a tangible link to the rich history of the Sandy Ground community.
Black Historic Sites in Conversation is a series of virtual talks in collaboration with different Black heritage sites & cultural centers in the greater NYC area, about the ongoing work of preserving, interpreting, and celebrating Black history and historical figures.
This program is supported by the Mellon Foundation.
About the Speakers:
Yvette Taylor Jordan, Trustee Board Chairperson, Rossville AME Zion Church
Yvette is the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Rossville AME Zion Church and a 7th generation descendant of the original settlers of Sandy Ground on Staten Island, NY. Yvette is an educator and community activist who has championed causes such as teaching African American history in public schools, educating community groups regarding the wealth of information about Blacks throughout Staten Island. The Isaac and Rebecca Coleman House, a NYC historic landmark, in Sandy Ground has been in her family since the mid-1800s; Yvette works to educate others about this property and its significance in the community.
She is also known for her environmental justice activism nationally as she strives to bring clean water to black and brown communities (www.yvettejordan.co).
Janise LaBoard- Casimir, Historian & Trustee Member, Rossville AME Zion Church
Janise is an eighth-generation descendant of Sandy Ground. She serves as the Historian and Trustee member of Rossville AME Zion Church in Sandy Ground. Janise is a retired United States Park Ranger and delights in learning and sharing the history of her Ancestry. She is the granddaughter of Lois A. Mosley the author of " Sandy Ground Memories". Inspired by her grandmother, in 2012 Janise self-published a children's picture book titled " The Summer Adventures of Landin Henry.