The College of Staten Island will host its annual Willowbrook Lecture on Tuesday, April 28, exploring the lasting legacy of Willowbrook and the growing archival collections that document disability history in New York and across the nation.
“The Willowbrook Legacy and the CSI Archives: Collections and New Initiatives,” will take place from 2:30pm to 4:00pm in the CSI Library (Room 1L-216) and is open to students, faculty, staff, and members of the public.
Presented through the Willowbrook Legacy Project, the lecture will highlight how CSI’s Library and Archives are preserving and expanding collections that chronicle more than 75 years of disability history. The program will also explore the addition of new materials, including collections from The Arc New York, and how these resources support research, scholarship, and public understanding of disability justice.
Located on the site of the former Willowbrook State School, the College of Staten Island plays a unique role in preserving and interpreting the history of the institution and its significance in the national disability rights movement. The College is also home to The Willowbrook Mile, a 12-station memorial trail located on campus chronicling the history around Willowbrook State School and subsequent advocacy movements during and after its closure. The trail extends to neighboring grounds of the NYS Institute for Basic Research (IBR) and Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD).
The Willowbrook Legacy Project works to document the history, honor those affected by Willowbrook, and promote continued dialogue about disability rights, advocacy, and inclusion, and includes an annual Willowbrook Lecture each April.
This year’s lecture will provide attendees with an inside look at how CSI’s archives are evolving, while also reflecting on the campus’s role as a historic site for disability justice.
Those interested in attending can register online through Eventbrite.
For more information about the Willowbrook Legacy Project at CSI, visit the project’s website or contact Willowbrook@csi.cuny.edu.
