Joyce Sharrock Cole Named Ossining Village Historian

OSSINING, NY — Joyce Sharrock Cole was appointed to the position of Ossining Village Historian Tuesday afternoon in a small event at Duers Circle, the newly upgraded intersection on the west side of Ossining's historic double arch.

The former historian, Dana White, has resigned and is running for a seat on the village Board of Trustees.

"With mixed emotions, I have accepted the resignation of our deeply beloved and admired Village Historian Dana White, and with great pleasure I announce the appointment of Joyce Sharrock Cole as our new Village Historian effective immediately," said Mayor Victoria Gearity.

The position of Village Historian is appointed by the Mayor annually. Gearity appointed Dana White in January 2015, and has reappointed her annually since.

Sharrock Cole currently serves on the Village's Historic Preservation Commission and is the first African American to serve as Ossining’s Village Historian.

"It is an honor to be appointed in a position that allows me to share my passion for research and sharing local history with my community," Sharrock Cole said. "This position will afford me the opportunity to highlight the untold histories and contributions of the early minorities of Ossining, as well as capturing, documenting and preserving the same for residents who immigrated/migrated more recently.

"I look forward to collaborating with the community to capture and preserve our unique experiences while navigating through these unprecedented times and cultivating an environment of accessibility and openness to our historical records for review by our community and students."

The small gathering took place at Duers Corner to highlight recent upgrades to improve pedestrian and driver safety, including two newly unveiled stop signs and ADA ramps at each crosswalk, and to tell the story of its name.

Henry Duers was born into slavery in North Carolina. He ran away and enlisted in the Union Army. As a Civil War veteran, he came to the Village of Sing Sing where, as Reverend Duers, he founded the Centennial Star of Bethlehem Colored Baptist Church.

Gearity thanked White for her work. "Dana’s experience as a journalist inspired her storytelling approach to her service as Village Historian. It is rare that someone so treasured for her service has an opportunity to recommend a successor, and Ossining is fortunate that is the case here."

The position of Village Historian is appointed by the Mayor annually. Gearity appointed Dana White upon taking office in January of 2015, and reappointed her annually. Sharrock Cole currently serves on the Village's Historic Preservation Commission and is the first African American to serve as Ossining’s Village Historian.

Ms. White thanked Mayor Gearity for what she described as the “life-changing opportunity to serve as Village Historian.” She went on to share some of her experiences in the role and her enthusiastic support of Sharrock Cole’s appointment, “I am most proud of highlighting the effect that the “Urban Renewal” movement of the 1970s had—and continues to have—on our downtown. The short film “Historic Downtown Ossining” that I produced has more than 11,000 views on YouTube.

“I also enjoyed sharing the influence Sing Sing Prison had on our village’s growth in the 19th century, on our image in the world, and even on our village name. I really liked making history fun again, with trivia nights and image-driven presentations about our ever-changing landscape. I learned a tremendous amount in the process, and now, as Village Trustee, hope to apply that knowledge to elected office.

“I have long admired Joyce’s work with the Little Bertie County Genealogy Society. As I got to know her better, and collaborated with her on recent projects, I realized she was just the person we need to bring a fresh energy and perspective to local history, one that feels relevant and current. History is happening now, and Joyce is ready to document it. Her researching ability has helped many people learn about their past and affirm their identities, and I’m excited to see how she applies that talent to the village at large.”

"History lays the groundwork for strong, resilient communities. No place really becomes a community until it is wrapped in human memory: family stories, tribal traditions, civic commemorations," Deputy Mayor Rika Levin said. "No place is a community until it has awareness of its history. I am confident that Joyce will research and present our shared stories and experiences which will strengthen our understanding of one another and strengthen our community.”

Sharrock Cole earned a BS in Organizational Management from Mercy College and certification as a Genealogical Researcher from Boston University. She serves as the records management and records access officer for the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services.

She is a founding member and lead researcher for the Little Bertie County Genealogical Society, which facilitates the Ancestry Group for the Ossining Public Library.

Sharrock Cole is producing a video about Reverend Duers and creating a page on the Village’s website dedicated to Ossining’s history.

She said she looks forward to leveraging her position as Village Historian to galvanize residents and young people to participate in local research efforts by discovering how they and their family have contributed to it. Participation will evoke nostalgia, promote connectedness, and start community conversations about shared history and cultural similarities and differences, ultimately give a sense of pride for knowing local history and where one fits into it as a whole, she said.