Our Mission
The mission of the African American Archive of Columbia County is to forge a deeper understanding of the lived historical experience of Black people in the Hudson Valley, for the benefit of both their descendants and the world at large.
Our Goals
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Collect
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• Establish a web-based chronicle of the documented and oral history of Blacks in Columbia County.
• Acquire a physical location as a repository for the preservation of artifacts and documents that illustrate our culture and heritage. |
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Educate
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• Present the authentic face of the Black experience in Columbia County via immersive special events, lectures and walking tours.
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Inspire
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• Cultivate an active community of people who appreciate the significance of our history in the Hudson Valley.
• Encourage the descendants of African families to celebrate and share the stories of their ancestors. |
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Support
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• Assist researchers, families and scholars in exploring the history and genealogy of Columbia County's Black families through the creation of a research and learning center.
• Uplift and advocate for the local community by becoming stewards of properties that are significant to Black history. |
Our History
The African American Archive of Columbia County was founded in 2021 by Victoria Jimpson-Fludd, her daughter, Lisa Fludd-Smith, and son-in-law, Peter Smith.
The inspiration for the Archive came after several years of research into their family genealogy. While they knew their own ancestors were from the Kinderhook area, they were surprised to discover how deeply interwoven Black families were with the local history. It seemed that there were many Black families, like their own, that carried the same surnames as the original Dutch settlers of the Hudson Valley. Further historical and genealogical research led them to discover a profound history of Africans and their descendants in Columbia County going back to the 17th century. Being acutely aware that this narrative has essentially been hidden from public view for centuries, they undertook to create a virtual and physical archive of data that would be available for descendants, researchers, and historians.
Since its inception, the Archive has become the steward of pre-20th century Black history in the county. Having developed relationships and collaborated with many historians, academics, genealogists, and historical organizations, it is now an invaluable resource for anyone focused on the topic of enslavement and freedom in the Hudson Valley. It is affiliated with the Columbia County Historical Society and works closely with the National Park Service Martin Van Buren Historic Site, the Jan Van Hoesen / Charles Marriot House Historic Site, the Hudson Area Library, the Underground Railroad Consortium of New York State, and other groups.
The inspiration for the Archive came after several years of research into their family genealogy. While they knew their own ancestors were from the Kinderhook area, they were surprised to discover how deeply interwoven Black families were with the local history. It seemed that there were many Black families, like their own, that carried the same surnames as the original Dutch settlers of the Hudson Valley. Further historical and genealogical research led them to discover a profound history of Africans and their descendants in Columbia County going back to the 17th century. Being acutely aware that this narrative has essentially been hidden from public view for centuries, they undertook to create a virtual and physical archive of data that would be available for descendants, researchers, and historians.
Since its inception, the Archive has become the steward of pre-20th century Black history in the county. Having developed relationships and collaborated with many historians, academics, genealogists, and historical organizations, it is now an invaluable resource for anyone focused on the topic of enslavement and freedom in the Hudson Valley. It is affiliated with the Columbia County Historical Society and works closely with the National Park Service Martin Van Buren Historic Site, the Jan Van Hoesen / Charles Marriot House Historic Site, the Hudson Area Library, the Underground Railroad Consortium of New York State, and other groups.
Our Founders
Victoria Jimpson-FluddExecutive Director
Vicki, a former professional management consultant, is responsible for overall project coordination, financial control/grants management and events management for the Archive. Inspired by the stories of her grandparents lives in Kinderhook and Stuyvesant, she brings a deep affinity for Afro-American heritage to the project.
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Lisa Fludd-SmithDeputy Executive Director
Lisa puts the stories and historical background to the names and dates compiled through her husband's research. She focuses on combining abstract data with social, historical and cultural observation to create compelling narratives. She is presently writing a book on the lives of her Columbia County ancestors and the history of slavery and freedom in the area. Lisa is a frequent speaker at events related to pre-20th century Black history.
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Pete SmithDirector of Research and Genealogy
Pete is a genealogist and researcher with almost 20 years of experience, and is responsible for the construction and maintenance of several family trees, numbering over 5,000 people. His work is the result of his diligent research of census, birth, marriage, death and military records, obituaries, church, family and cemetery records, DNA matches, and interviews with family, friends and local authorities.
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Board of Directors
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Lisa Fludd-Smith, President
Deputy Executive Director, African American Archive of Columbia County Lisa Weilbacker, Board Member
Former Executive Director, Columbia County Historical Society |
Anne Frascarelli, Treasurer
Treasurer, Yonkers Philharmonic Kate Johnson, Board Member
Village Historian, Village of Kinderhook |
Brenda Shufelt, Secretary
Coordinator, Hudson Area Library History Room John Delikanakis, Board Member
Partner, Snell & Wilmer |
Advisory Committee
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Myra Armstead
Lyford Paterson Edwards and Helen Gray Edwards Professor of History, Bard College Andrea Mosterman
Associate Professor of History University of New Orleans |
Michael Douma
Director, Georgetown Institute for the Study of Markets and Ethics, Georgetown University Megan O'Malley
Superintendent National Park Service Martin Van Buren Historic Site |
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Help Support our Mission!
As you can see, we're a small organization with big goals. Although we do apply (and have received!) grants to help fund our research and programming, many expenses are still paid for out of our own pockets. Every donation, no matter how large or small, can help defray the costs involved with running the Archive. If you are able to, please consider making a donation to the Archive.
The Archive is a 501c3 non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
The Archive is a 501c3 non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
If you're not able to make a monetary donation at this time, but would still like to support our work, please consider a donation of time. Whether you have a particular skill or just want to be an extra hand at one of our events, we appreciate you!