CUNY Dominican Studies Archives and Library

The CUNY Dominican Studies Archives and Library organized a number of exhibits and events this fall.

MUJER Dominicana en NY – Dominican Women in NY.

This major visual exhibit highlighted the lives and achievements of Dominican Women in the Dominican Republic and New York City. It was on display at The City College of New York’s Amsterdam Plaza from August 19 to September 30, 2008. MUJER profiled the lives, struggles and views of 127 Dominican women through poster-size photographs and biographical profiles.  It is the largest exhibit of its kind to showcase Dominican women.  The opening reception for the exhibit was held on August 19, 2008.

Dominicans in New York: An Exhibit from the Dominican Archives and Dominican Library. Funded by a major grant from the New York Council on the Humanities, “Dominicans in New York: An Exhibit from the Dominican Archives and Library Collections” highlighted the experiences and contributions of the New York Dominican population. The exhibit used primary source materials from the archival collections of the Dominican Archives as well as secondary source materials from the Dominican Library including documents, photographs and memorabilia to create a visual history of Dominicans as they developed communities that became integral part of New York’s incredibly diverse human landscape.

The purpose of the exhibit was to introduce, through carefully selected images, the complexity of the Dominican experience in New York to students, scholars, policy makers and the general public. The images offered glimpses of the community’s history, culture, traditions, and population changes. The Exhibit, on display from October 16, 2008 to January 2009, was curated by CUNY DSI Chief Archivist Idilio Gracia Peña, Head Librarian Sarah Aponte, Archives and Library Assistant Nelson Santana with the collaboration of Assistant Director Anthony Stevens-Acevedo, and Graphic Designers Pablo Rodriguez and Javier Pichardo.

Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony and Panel Discussion. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Archives and Library of the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute at The City College of New York took place on Wednesday, December 10^th, at 11:00am in NA/2-202, on the second floor of the North Academic Building of The City College campus, the new location of our Library and Archives.  In addition to the ribbon cutting ceremony, a panel presentation, featuring the renowned, Historian Dr. Frank Moya Pons and Archeologist, Dr. Marcio Veloz Maggiolo took place.

This ribbon cutting symbolized the culmination of a three year process where the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute at The City College, the City University of New York Department of Design and Construction, and the City College Office of Campus Planning & Facilities, have worked closely in the planning, designing, and overseeing of the construction of these new facilities, which represent the largest physical expansion of the Institute since it was inaugurated in 1992.