About Town: 14th Annual Brendan Gill Lecture Next Friday

Once a year, the Bronxville Historical Conservancy brings a distinguished speaker to , and the event brings throngs from around our community.  Past speakers have included George Plimpton, Walter Isaacson, David Halberstam, and Theodore Sorenson.

This year’s speaker is no less distinguished, and will be presenting on a topic dear to our hearts – the history of that amazing city just to our south.  And Jackson is an expert – according to the Conservancy, he’s “the preeminent authority on New York City, and one of the world’s top urban historians.” 

He is Director of the Herbert H. Lehman Center for the Study of American History, and the Jacques Barzun Professor of History and the Social Sciences.

Professor Jackson will be focusing on the devastating economic condition of the city back in the 1970’s (you remember the famous headline “Ford to City: Drop Dead") and how Gotham managed to rebound and thrive in future decades, unlike our friends in Detroit and other Midwestern cities.  A timely topic, no doubt.

The event starts at 8pm on Friday, April 13^th at the Sommer Center at Concordia College.  We’ve covered these events for the past few years, and they always draw a huge crowed, so make your (free!) reservations now by calling Amie Hollmann at 914-337-9300, x2111 or email to mwoodhill@aol.com.

A reception will follow the free lecture – we plan on asking Jackson to tell us the real story behind the history of the ubiquitous Ray’s Pizza.  Or perhaps not.