Two Tales of a Town

historical documentaries

Racial Integration of the Waterbury Manor Neighborhood

In the 1960’s, the neighborhoods and towns all over the USA went through a transition as black families moved in to the previously all-white areas. Waterbury Manor (in the Town of Cortlandt, NY) was one such neighborhood.

Local residents and experts discuss the problems of racial integration at the time as well as the specific experiences of one neighborhood.

on YouTube at

Part 1 (of 2) - racial integration of the Waterbury Manor neighborhood

Part 2 (of 2) - racial integration of the Waterbury Manor neighborhood

The Robeson Concert & Riots of 1949

In 1949, Paul Robeson, an African-American baritone with leftist political leanings, staged a concert in the Town of Cortlandt (now Cortlandt Manor, NY) to benefit the Civil Rights Congress. But anti-communist fears sparked a series of terrifying riots that threatened to shut down the concert and injured many attendees.

Pete Seeger (who performed at the concert), a local historian, and residents discuss the impact of the riots on the town of Peekskill, the Town of Cortlandt, and the nation.