Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson hosted her annual Black History Month event, celebrating African-American history and culture. on Friday, Feb. 25, at 5.30 p.m. at Maestro’s Caterers Banquet Hall in the Van Nest section of The Bronx, and was joined on the night by New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

During the event, Gibson honored various community leaders in recognition of what she said was their valuable contribution to the residents of The Bronx and throughout New York City. This year’s honorees included President of the NAACP Dr. Hazel N. Dukes, Attorney at Rodman and Campbell, P.C. Hugh W. Campbell, Esq., and community activist, Patricia Banks-Edmiston, who was the first African American flight attendant for a commercial airline.

Sophia Reid, program director at Eastchester Neighborhood Center R.A.I.N Total Care, Inc, also had the distinction of being the first recipient of the Aurelia Greene Lifetime Achievement Award, named after the former Assembly Member, deputy Bronx borough president and Bronx matriarch, Aurelia Greene.

Damian Williams, the first African-American United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York in over 200 years was the keynote speaker, and Philip Taitt of News 12 served as MC for the event.

Earlier on Friday, Adams commissioned the Sandy Ground, a new Staten Island Ferry vessel named for New York’s first, free Black community, which was settled in 1828 and served as a stop on the historic Underground Railroad. The Sandy Ground is the first Staten Island Ferry boat named to honor the rich history of Black New Yorkers living on Staten Island.

“I am honored to commission a new Staten Island Ferry named for a community of New Yorkers who represent the best of our city and our country,” said Adams. “The settlers of Sandy Ground were our ancestors, and they worked hard to build a vibrant community that became a safe haven for so many seeking freedom. This boat will forever be a testament to them, their legacy, and their contributions to the New York City we live in today.”

Meanwhile, Department of Transportation (DOT) commissioner, Ydanis Rodriguez, said of the occasion,“As we pay tribute to a major part of New York’s history today during Black History Month, the Sandy Ground ferry will ensure that this community’s legacy continues to live on for future generations.” He added, “We applaud our Ferries Division and everyone who played a role in naming the boat after this iconic settlement.”

Captain Zeita Merchant, commander of the New York sector of the U.S. Coast Guard, said with the naming and dedication of the Sandy Ground, along with the adoption of the entire state-of-the-art Ollis-class fleet of ferries, which he said had received international acclaim, the DOT not only honors the legacy of the diverse community that calls Staten Island home, but shows what he said was their passionate commitment to the safe and secure operation of the busiest ferry service in the country. “I am especially honored as the first African American captain of the Port of New York to soon sign the official certificate that will forever etch the Sandy Ground’s legacy in New York Harbor,” he said.

According to City officials, Sandy Ground’s history as a free Black community dates back nearly 200 years to 1828, when ferry boat operator Captain John Jackson became the first Black person to own property on Staten Island, buying in what is now the South Shore community of Rossville. Over time, Sandy Ground was settled by Black oystermen who fled Maryland’s more restrictive laws. New York’s booming oyster trade allowed residents there to own their own property, boats, and businesses.

Five structures in the Sandy Ground community were designated as New York City landmarks by the Landmarks Preservation Commission in 2011, including three residential structures, a cemetery, and the A.M.E. Zion Church, which served as a major stop on the Underground Railroad. A.M.E. Zion remains an active church today, with descendants of Sandy Ground settlers still worshipping there.

.@NYCMayor joins @bronxbp Gibson’s #BlackHistoryMonth Event in the Bronx. pic.twitter.com/tc1srUKn1H

— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) February 26, 2022

A state-of-the-art, $85 million, 4,500-person boat, the Sandy Ground is the second of three new ferries that will enter service this year, which are collectively known as the Ollis-class vessels. Together, the three boats represent a transformative upgrade for the nation’s busiest municipal ferry system; the three new ferries are larger, more modern, and better equipped for extreme weather than the existing fleet. They will feature popular design elements of past Staten Island ferries, phone charging outlets, and comfortable seating, as well as an oval upper-deck promenade that will, for the first time, serve as an outdoor “walking track” for riders.

The Sandy Ground is expected to be in service by this spring. The first boat in the class, the Staff Sergeant Michael H. Ollis, took its inaugural ride earlier this month. The final Ollis-class ferry is expected to be commissioned later this year.

Today, I attended The Arc of Justice Bronx Chapter Black History Awards, recognizing different powerful leaders in our community, and I had the opportunity to present my friend and sister @BronxDAClark with an award. pic.twitter.com/fFJpJb0lwR

— Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson (@bronxbp) February 26, 2022

Julie Moody Lewis, president of the Sandy Ground Historical Society, said, “Today is the day we pay homage to Moses and Silas Harris, free Black men who in 1828 had the foresight to recognize the value of land and landownership.” She added, “They laid the foundation for a community that served as a safe haven for people of African descent, seeking the promise of the American dream and the right to all freedoms, including the right to education, occupation, and religion. We thank the City of New York for recognizing and embracing that vision and ensuring that our history will always be a part of the fabric of the City of New York.”

Former New York City council member for Staten Island, Debi Rose, said, “The commissioning of the Sandy Ground is a historic moment for the Black community and the descendants of Sandy Ground.” She added, “This moving monument memorializes the history of Sandy Ground and acknowledges the existence of a thriving community that played a pivotal part in Staten Island and New York City’s history.

Rose continued, “The Sandy Ground will proudly ride the waves of a new consciousness as it joins the fleet of the New York ferry system and will serve as a significant reminder every day to thousands of Staten Islanders, New Yorkers, and tourists from around the world of the rich history of the Sandy Ground farmers, oystermen, and entrepreneurs who developed a thriving self-sustaining community. I am so excited, and I want to thank the Department of Transportation, and especially former commissioner, Polly Trottenberg, for taking my dream and making it a reality — lifting the contributions of Sandy Ground out of the shadows of our distant past and into the very fabric of our everyday existence.”

Throughout #BlackHistoryMonth we’ll spotlight Black leaders & historical moments that transformed the #Bronx. Today, we celebrate @bronxbp Vanessa Gibson, the 1st Black female Bronx Borough President. You are an inspiration to young women & men who aspire to be in elected office. pic.twitter.com/Fl9qCRpMOm

— Rep. Ritchie Torres (@RepRitchie) February 8, 2022

Joey D’Isernia, president, Eastern Shipbuilding Group, which built the Ollis-class ferries, said, “This vessel honors our nation’s African-American heritage and will tell the story of the landmark Sandy Ground community.” He added, “These incredible vessels are receiving international recognition for their superior design and capabilities. We thank our partners for their dedication and exceptional quality in the production of these ferries.”

Back in The Bronx, on Saturday, Feb. 26, as part of The Arc of Justice Bronx Chapter Black History Awards, which recognizes different powerful leaders in the community, Gibson honored Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark. “Today, I attended The Arc of Justice Bronx Chapter Black History Awards, recognizing different powerful leaders in our community, and I had the opportunity to present my friend and sister, @BronxDAClark with an award,” Gibson said.

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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.