In 1848 Ireland was gripped by famine. Nearly a million people would die of starvation and typhoid Fever. Desperate for survival a million more Irish would abandon their homeland and come to America. Many settled in the Five Points section of lower Manhattan infamous for its squalor, violence and disease
By the end of the Civil War, an estimated 30,000 orphaned and homeless children roamed the streets of New York City. They survived by resorting to petty crime, by begging, and by selling newspapers for a nickel a piece.
In response to this crisis the age of orphan asylums began, culminating in one of the most improbable and audacious episodes in American history. Inspired by Charles Loring Brace, it was called the Orphan Train Movement. It endeavored to save these children by heroes who fought for their liberation.
Michael T. Keene is the author of Folklore and Legends of Rochester, Murder, Mayhem and Madness, Mad~House, Question of Sanity, and now his new book,
NEW YORK CITY’S HART ISLAND: A CEMETERY OF STRANGERS
Pre-Order a signed, soft cover copy of the book: New York City's Hart Island, directly from the Author
https://michaeltkeene.com/hart-island-soft-cover-book/
*Orders will ship on or after Oct 14, 2019
Learn more about Author / Host / Filmmaker Michael T. Keene
https://michaeltkeene.com/about/
Send questions / comments / suggestions to:
https://michaeltkeene.com/contact/
Connect with Michael T. Keene on Social Media
Twitter https://twitter.com/talkhartisland
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TalkingHartIsland/
Lloyd “The Whistler” Threlkeld with Douglass Fraser
AIDS-The First Five Years with Jean Ashton
Burial Grounds in a Segregated City with Tom Angotti
AIDS with Michael Bronsky
Grave Yard of Strangers with Norma Jean Gradsky
Angels of Mercy with William Seraile
Boroughs of the Dead with Marie Carter
Potters Field(s) with Andrew Berman
Six to Celebrate Simeon Bankoff
Hebrew Free Burial Society with Amy Koplow, Executive Director
Louisa Van Slyke with Author Gail Jarrow.
Greta Garbo with Lois Banner
Ghosts of St Vincents with Tom Eubanks
The Tenement Museum with Kevin Jennings, Director
Still Born with MJ Adams
Leo Birinski with Barbara Kosta
The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Greatest Plague in History by John Barry
The Bowery with Dr. Robert Aronowitz
Ruth Proskauer Smith with Ian Dowbiggin
Join Podbean Ads Marketplace and connect with engaged listeners.
Advertise Today
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Irish Songs with Ken Murray
History Obscura
Historycal: Words that Shaped the World
The Rest Is History
Everything Everywhere Daily