Senator Fahy Announces $35,000 Operating Funds Grant for Historic Cherry Hill

ALBANY, N.Y. – Senator Patricia Fahy announced today that a $35,000 operating funds grant secured through her office was awarded to Historic Cherry Hill in Albany. Historic Cherry Hill is a preserved 18th-century house museum that tells the story of American life through the experiences of five generations of the Van Rensselaer family, including domestic servants and enslaved people, who lived and worked there. Built in 1787, the house offers a glimpse into the Capital Region’s storied past with its extensive collection of artifacts, documents, and personal belongings left behind by the family, enslaved people, and servants. 

“Historic Cherry Hill brings to life some of Albany’s most storied history and past,” said Senator Patricia Fahy (D—Albany). “I’m thrilled to be able to secure this funding to help Cherry Hill continue their outreach and programing in our community, including bolstering their exhibits and collection of more than 65,000 artifacts. I encourage everyone in the Capital Region to make their way to Cherry Hill, take a tour, and dive into our past. When we tell our full and honest history, it better connects us to the present and helps remind us that what unites us as Americans is always stronger than what may divide us.”

“This grant secured by Senator Fahy will help us to begin implementing our new interpretive plan for the site,” said Historic Cherry Hill Executive Director and Curator Deborah Emmons-Andarawis. “The plan, “The Past is Present,” harnesses immersive experiences and authentic encounter with history to engage visitors in conversation about the legacies of the past that impact our lives today. Developed with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Institute for Museum & Library Services, and the Bender Family Foundation—“The Past Is Present” includes outdoor signage and a new tour, exhibition, and media installations, all exploring themes of belonging, inequality, resilience, and legacy through the incredibly rare multigenerational history at Cherry Hill–a history of the Van Rensselaers as well as the Jackson-Knapp lineage that began with a woman once enslaved there. As we work to secure full funding for this significant project at a time when federal funds are being cut, we are so grateful for Senator Fahy’s support to help fill the gap.”

Non-profits and cultural organizations throughout the country continue to operate in fear of federal funding cuts and grant freezes. Notably, this year, Historic Cherry Hill received notice that a $20,000 grant was frozen for review. Despite ultimately receiving the grant, this represents a worrying trend of the federal government’s attempt to withhold funding and support for organizations or programs that appear to highlight the struggle of historically marginalized groups in the United States, such as enslaved people and their descendants. At a time when this uncertainty is rampant, New York State continues to support the organizations and institutions that tell our collective, full, and honest history.

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