Assembly Resolution No. 139

BY: M. of A. Zinerman

COMMEMORATING the 205th Anniversary of the
Brooklyn Sunday School Union

WHEREAS, Religious institutions, and the many spiritual, social and
educational benefits they confer, play a vital role in the development
of the moral fabric of a responsible citizenry; and

WHEREAS, It is the tradition of this State and this Nation to pay
tribute to those institutions and individuals who have contributed to
the ethical and spiritual values of their communities; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commemorate the
205th Anniversary of the Brooklyn Sunday School Union; and

WHEREAS, The Brooklyn Sunday School Union was organized by Robert
Snow, Andrew Mercein, Joshua Sands, Thomas Sands, Joseph Herbert,
Reverend Daniel DeVine, John G. Murphy and Thomas Kirk on April 8, 1816,
for the purpose of organizing Sabbath Schools or Sunday Schools and to
make the borough a better place for its residents to live, work and
play; and

WHEREAS, The stalwart members of the Union diligently strived to
bolster the borough's social and economic development by establishing
free public education, a charter for a savings bank, and the
Apprentices' Library Association, which was housed by the Union; and

WHEREAS, The Church was a vital place of not only worship, but
education and a place for young people to gather; Sunday Schools held at
local churches were the primary source of socialization and education
for many African Americans since the public schools were segregated;
these schools also lead to the establishment of "African Schools" which
later became public schools; and

WHEREAS, The Union also formed and maintained mission schools which
became churches, and training schools were founded to assist these new
churches in organization, leadership and pedagogy; shortly thereafter,
Brooklyn proudly became known as "The Borough of Churches"; and

WHEREAS, The Brooklyn Sunday School Union hosted its first
Anniversary Day Parade and services to commemorate its founding in June
of 1829; 400 children from four different Sunday Schools participated in
that inaugural parade including the Sands Street Methodist Church, St.
Ann's Protestant Episcopal Church, The First Reformed Dutch Church and
the First Presbyterian Church; and

WHEREAS, On May 24, 1854, 14,600 people from 64 Sunday Schools
walked in the 25th Anniversary Day Parade, and during the 50th, 75th,
100th and 200th Anniversary Parades combined, hundreds of thousands of
people and hundreds of schools participated; and

WHEREAS, This annual event is truly one of the unique aspects of
life in Brooklyn, and in 1905, the New York State Legislature created
Brooklyn Day as official holiday; and


WHEREAS, Today, the Board of Managers remains committed to the
promotion of the borough's spirituality and the advancement of its
churches and millions of citizens economically and socially and pledge
to remain steadfast in its mission of helping Brooklyn reach its full
potential; and

WHEREAS, After 205 years, the Brooklyn Sunday School Union continues
to stand on the threshold of tomorrow, prepared to meet the challenges
of the coming decades while retaining that spiritual resolve which
characterizes its past; and

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to take note of
enduring religious institutions and to bring such institutions to the
attention of the people of this Empire State; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 205th Anniversary of the Brooklyn Sunday School Union;
and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the Brooklyn Sunday School Union.