DutchCultureUSA launches video ‘Dutch-American Heritage in Albany’

Fri, Aug 6 - Fri, Dec 31  2021

Dutch Culture USA is proud to present a new video about Dutch-American heritage in Albany, NY.  Filmed by video journalist Daan Wallis, the video features Dutch 17th century roots that are still present in Albany. Learn more about the Dutch archives, collections and houses and meet our partners at the New York State Museum, Archives and Library, the New Netherland Research Center, New Netherland Institute, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the Albany Institute of History & Art.

Watch the video on our YouTube channel or below:

Dutch history of New York State and New Netherland colony (1609-1664)

The U.S. and the Netherlands share a history of over 400 years. In 1609, Henry Hudson and his crew sailed the ship de Halve Maen (the Half Moon) from the Delaware Bay up to the river now named for Hudson. The Dutch government chartered the West India Company  in 1621 to capitalize on the North American fur trade and started the New Netherland colony. It extended from Albany, New York, in the north to Delaware in the south and encompassed parts of what are now the states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, and Delaware. The most important settlements were New Amsterdam in Downtown Manhattan (now called New York) and Beverwyck (current day Albany).

New Netherland developed into a culturally diverse and politically robust settlement. This diversity was fostered by Dutch respect for freedom of conscience. Furthermore, under Dutch rule, women enjoyed legal, civil, and economic rights denied their British counterparts in New England and Virginia. Towns within New Netherland were granted the protections and privileges of self-government. New Amsterdam, thus, became the first European-style chartered city in the thirteen original colonies that would comprise the United States. In 1664, New Netherland came under British control. Despite this transfer of power, Dutch influence remained strong in the former New Netherland, throughout the seventeenth century and beyond; many parts of the colony remained culturally Dutch up to and beyond the American Revolution.

Russell Shorto, Author of “The Island at the Center of the World” at the New Netherland Research Center in Albany

Shared Cultural Heritage Program

Dutch Culture USA, as part of the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in New York, promotes and supports Dutch arts & culture in the US. Since 2013, we have been part of the Netherland’s Shared Cultural Heritage program. Together with our American and Dutch partners – the National Archives of the Netherlands, the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands and DutchCulture Center for International Cultural Cooperation – we aim to  better manage, conserve and make accessible the remnants of this 17th century Dutch history. Since 2013, Dutch Culture USA has supported many projects, ranging from digitization to educational programs, from exhibitions to heritage tourism resources and from intangible heritage to the cross over to contemporary art forms.

Archaeologists Mike Lucas shows Consul General Herman Quarles and group archaeological objects from the Fort Orange excavation.

Special thanks to (in order of appearance):

Herman Quarles van Ufford
Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in New York

Mark Schaming
Deputy Commissioner of Cultural Education and Director New York State Museum

Charles Gehring
Director New Netherland Research Center

Russell Shorto
Author of “The Island at the Center of the World” and Senior Scholar New Netherland Institute

Heidi Hill
Historic Site Manager Crailo State Historic Site

Cordell Reaves
Historic Interpretation and Preservation Analyst, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

Sophie van Doornmalen
Senior Cultural Officer Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in New York

Daniel Mackay
Deputy Commissioner for Historic Preservation, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

Tammis Groft
Executive Director Albany Institute of History & Art

Len Tantillo
Artist

CREDITS:

Video by: Daan Wallis

Interviews: Sophie van Doornmalen

Music:
Interchange – Public Memory
Fight to Tunisia – Causmic
Birds – Corbyn Kites

This video was commissioned by the Press & Cultural Department of the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in New York, 2021.

Additional videos about Dutch arts and culture in the USA include Dutch Architecture in the US and Dutch Talent and Opportunities in Hollywood.