Lauren Gilbert
The World Fashion Center New York Never Built
Pauline Toole
The Policy of the Club: Ralph Bunche, the U.S. ...

This guest post uses archival documents in the Municipal Archives and Library collections. Readers are advised that as with all U.S. history, there are references to race and its direct relationship to institutional choices. Please note that quotes in this post contain outdated language, e,g. use of the term “Negro.” These instances have been retained and referenced in their original form to maintain historical accuracy and context.

December 1950: Ralph Bunche, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Special Political Affairs is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his leadership in resolving global conflicts including the 1949 Middle East peace accord.

July 1959: United Nations Under-Secretary-General Bunche inquires about membership in the Westside Tennis Club so his son, Ralph Jr., can continue lessons from the Club’s tennis pro. The Club president, Wilfred Burglund dismisses the possibility because “the policy of the club was to exclude Negroes and Jews.”

Melissa Minnich
Commemorating September 11th

New York is a symbol of freedom.
Everyone in the country loves you.
We hope your hearts are o.k.
You are very special to us.
Our families care about your families.
Remember we love you and are always thinking of you.
Keep up your spirits and God bless us all.

On September 11, 2026, New York City will commemorate the lives of the 2,983 men, women, and children killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. This historic moment transformed both New York City and the nation in ways both big and small, and messages of hope, encouragement, love, and resilience poured in from across the country.

Kenneth R. Cobb
Parton Is Such Sweet Music

Early in the afternoon of August 21, 1978, on the steps of City Hall, Mayor Edward Koch presented Dolly Parton with the key to the City. In his remarks at the ceremony the Mayor addressed Dolly directly:  “Dolly, you may be the only entertainer in America who has what it takes to turn New York City into a small town.” 

According to the transcript of his remarks, before he presented Dolly with the Key, he asked: “When can we do this again?”

Dolly Parton’s reply to Mayor Koch is lost to history, but thanks to the Mayor’s photograph collection we know they did meet again, nine years later at Gracie Mansion, on August 31, 1987. 

Kenneth R. Cobb
New York Goes Wild Welcoming Trudy Home

“New York Goes Wild Welcoming Trudy Home”

-New York City Journal, August 27, 1926

One-hundred years ago, on August 27, 1926, New York City honored 19-year-old New York-native Gertrude Ederle with a ticker-tape parade for her record-breaking swim across the English Channel.

Her 14-hour, 31-minute time beat the five previous successful crossings, all made by men, and was not bested until 1964. Ederle’s accomplishment inspired countless female athletes and brought her world-wide fame, far greater that the accolades she received for winning three swimming medals in the 1924 Olympics. 

1776

Revolutionary New York

Saturday, July 4, 2026, will mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Since then, Philadelphia, and to a similar degree, Boston, have woven their roles as centers of the American Revolution into a strong civic identity. In contrast, New York City has preferred to look forward and downplay its history during that tumultuous period. However, the fact is that New York City played a decisive role in the formation of a new country. This week, For the Record tells the story of New York during the Revolution.