Sembrich Summer Festival: Juneteenth Celebration - William James Knapp
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Date and time
7:00 PM
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About this event
William James Knapp was the great-grandchild of Dinah Jackson, the last person enslaved at Historic Cherry Hill in Albany, NY.
After his mother died in 1854, James became a ward in Richard van Rensselaer’s household and worked as a butler for the family on State Street. Throughout his life, James also worked as a musician, a sales clerk at Hidley’s Music Store, a hospital porter, and a nurse.
James lived at Cherry Hill for about sixteen months between 1880 and 1884. He played the violin, piano, flute, and other instruments, and his sheet music collection included popular, classical, and parlor music from the Victorian Era.
Dr. Christopher Brellochs, music consultant to Historic Cherry Hill, will share the story of William James Knapp and convey a picture of the Capital Region during the Gilded Age, a time when Albany had a music store on almost every block.
Musical selections from Mr. Knapp's extensive personal collection of sheet music - acquired between 1865 to 1885 - will be performed by LayVon Scott, baritone and Dr. Elizabeth Gerbi, piano.
A lakeside reception will follow.
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