Bryant Park Reading Room Hosts Non-Fiction The Triangle Shirtwaist Tragedy & the Origins of Charity

Join us at Bryant Park's Reading Room on Wednesday, September 9, from 7:00–8:00 PM for a special nonfiction conversation featuring historian and author David Conrad-Pérez and his book, Fire in the Heart of the City. The book revisits the aftermath of the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, exploring the fierce conflict between New York’s wealthy elite and labor activists over who should lead the city’s response to its deadliest disaster at the time. Through the unlikely clash between New York Times publisher Adolph Ochs and labor organizer Rose Schneiderman, Conrad-Pérez examines how tragedy, philanthropy, labor rights, and social reform shaped the origins of modern American charity. A historian and former journalist, Conrad-Pérez is research director at the Center for Media & Social Impact at American University and has written for The New York Times, Reuters, and Columbia Journalism Review.

The Reading Room at Bryant Park is a free, open-air literary oasis in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. Open daily from 11 AM to 7 PM through October, it offers a thoughtfully curated selection of books, newspapers, and magazines for visitors to enjoy on the lawn beneath its signature yellow umbrellas or shaded trees. Now through September, the Reading Room offers a lineup of weekly literary programming, including author talks, poetry readings, film discussions, book clubs, and children’s StoryTime.