Kamau Ware, founder of Black Gotham Experience, in conjunction with the NYC Public Design Commission, created Epicenter, featured here, to uncover and celebrate City Hall history through the lens of Black New Yorkers. By looking back at the creation of NYC’s three City Halls—including the current building, which is one of the oldest municipal structures of its kind still in continuous use in the United States—the short film offers invaluable perspective on "the critical yet undervalued history of the African diaspora in the making of New York City."
Launched in time for Black History Month, Epicenter addresses other sites significant to the City’s—and country’s—past, including Wall Street, Trinity Church, Fraunces Tavern and the African Burial Ground National Monument, and highlights the role Black New Yorkers played in creating the NYC we know. "A lot of this history can be felt, even if you don’t see it quite being presented in the public square," says Ware. This film takes a meaningful step toward that presentation.
For more information, visit blackgotham.com and nyc.gov.