Capital District Region: New York State Performers, Programmers & Related Resources for Public Libraries & Groups


Performer Information
Performer name:	David Fiske
Phone:	518-577-4997
Mailing address:	Ballston Spa, NY 12020
E-mail address:	info@fiskeresearch.com
Website:	http://fiskeresearch.com
Previous appearances at:	New York State Library, Ballston Spa Public Library, Fort Edward History Museum, Solomon Northup Day, Saratoga Springs, Rensselaerville Festival of Writers Contact information for New York State Public Libraries
Information last updated:	02/20/2013

Records 1-2 of 2

Program
Category
Description
Fee

Anne Northup, Wife of Solomon Northup, Overcame Adversity History,
Literature- Authors,
Multicultural- Other

Solomon Northup was lured into slavery in 1841, and was a slave in Louisiana for 12 years before being rescued. What impact did Northup’s kidnapping have on his wife and family? In Solomon’s absence, the Northup family became a one-income household. This presentation will describe how his wife, Anne, carried on and saw to the needs of their children. Information on her later life will also be given. Black History topic.
$101- $200

The Black America Show: The Plantation Comes to Brooklyn History,
Multicultural- Other

After exposing the public to a huckstered version of life in the West--via his Wild West Show--Nate Salsbury initiated a new production in 1895 called Black America. Black America set out not merely to entertain, but to educate the public about the lives blacks had led in the antebellum south. Though the show included some acts that were not typical elements of plantation life--juggling, tight-rope walking, and drills by black cavalry troops--it also featured a village with over 100 cabins where blacks portrayed activities such as picking cotton, operating cotton gins, itinerant preaching, and socializing. Among the singing and dancing performances were examples of black culture that had developed under slavery, as well as newer creations. Show business considerations, as well as stereotypical thinking, resulted in the inclusion of minstrel songs, cakewalks, and tap dancing, but Salsbury's original purpose for creating the show was largely one of public education, and the Black America Show was less exploitative than other contemporary productions. It gave many African-Americans a foot in the door for careers in show business, and increased public awareness of their many skills and talents. Black America had runs in Brooklyn and several other U.S. cities.
$101- $200

Page: 1

Records 1-2 of 2

* Inclusion in this database does not indicate endorsement of any performer or program by the NYS Education Department, the Office of Cultural Education, the NYS Library or the participating library systems, nor does it eliminate the need for reference checks and appropriate standard screening procedures.

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Program	Category	Description	Fee
Anne Northup, Wife of Solomon Northup, Overcame Adversity	History, Literature- Authors, Multicultural- Other	Solomon Northup was lured into slavery in 1841, and was a slave in Louisiana for 12 years before being rescued. What impact did Northup’s kidnapping have on his wife and family? In Solomon’s absence, the Northup family became a one-income household. This presentation will describe how his wife, Anne, carried on and saw to the needs of their children. Information on her later life will also be given. Black History topic.	$101- $200
The Black America Show: The Plantation Comes to Brooklyn	History, Multicultural- Other	After exposing the public to a huckstered version of life in the West--via his Wild West Show--Nate Salsbury initiated a new production in 1895 called Black America. Black America set out not merely to entertain, but to educate the public about the lives blacks had led in the antebellum south. Though the show included some acts that were not typical elements of plantation life--juggling, tight-rope walking, and drills by black cavalry troops--it also featured a village with over 100 cabins where blacks portrayed activities such as picking cotton, operating cotton gins, itinerant preaching, and socializing. Among the singing and dancing performances were examples of black culture that had developed under slavery, as well as newer creations. Show business considerations, as well as stereotypical thinking, resulted in the inclusion of minstrel songs, cakewalks, and tap dancing, but Salsbury's original purpose for creating the show was largely one of public education, and the Black America Show was less exploitative than other contemporary productions. It gave many African-Americans a foot in the door for careers in show business, and increased public awareness of their many skills and talents. Black America had runs in Brooklyn and several other U.S. cities.	$101- $200