John Wolcott :
- Author:
- Wolcott, John R.
- Call Number:
- MSS APAP-294 local
- Abstract:
- The John Wolcott Papers contain materials related to the planning and advertising of Pinxter Festivals in Albany, New York. The collection includes festival posters, fliers, photographs, news clippings, hand written notes, correspondence and programs of similar festivals, including a early souvenir Tulip Fest envelope. Craft vendors were a major part of the festivities and the contact information for many of them is included. Information about historic Pinxter festivals, Albany's relevant laws and policies, and a small collection of colonial Dutch recipes were used in the planning process.
- Historical Note:
- John Wolcott was chairman of the Pinxter Committee of Albany, also called the People's Pinxter Festival Committee, which coordinated the annual Pinxter Festival. The festival is known as Pinxter, Pinxter Sunday or Pinkster, Dutch for Pentecost, and as Whitsuntide, the English term for Pentecost. During the colonial period, Pinxter celebrations were held throughout eastern New York in communities of Dutch origins. Africans played a major role in organizing Pinxter, adding African music and dance to the festivities. In 1811 the Common Council of the City of Albany passed a Whitsuntide Holiday law which banned the essential elements of the festival and, as a result, the festival died out. In 1971, Pinxter was revived in Albany and celebrated on Sundays during Tulip Fest in Washington Park with craft vendors and musicians. It was often advertised as an illegal festival. Wolcott wrote several letters asking the 1811 law be repealed. The Whitsuntide Holiday Law was repealed in 2011, two hundred years after it was enacted.
- Physical Description:
- .7 cu ft.
- Access Terms:
- Access to this record group is unrestricted.
- Notes:
- Part of the Archive of Public Affairs and Policy. local
- Subjects:
- Folk festivals New York (State) Albany, Pentecost Festival, Folk festivals, and Pentecost Festival
- Genres/Forms:
- Black-and-white photographs. aat, Clippings (information artifacts) aat, Correspondence. aat, Fliers (printed matter) aat, Newspapers. aat, Posters. aat, and Programs (documents) aat
- Names:
- Wolcott, John R
- Geographic Terms:
- New York (State) Albany
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