The Manhasset Great Neck Equal Opportunity Center will be hosting an opening reception for the unveiling of the Spinney Hill history quilt.
The project was funded through the African American Civil Rights grant program from the National Park Service to document the Civil Rights Movement in North Hempstead and surrounding regions to create a digitally accessible library. North Hempstead was one of 39 awards that were given out nationwide. The Town provided $2,000 for the group to document the diverse history of Spinney Hill on a quilt.
The quilt was created by women from the Great Neck and Manhasset communities who had the goal of celebrating the rich heritage of the community.
Meeting weekly at Great Neck House for a year and a half, the quilters researched the Manhasset Valley neighborhood from the 1600s to today, utilizing the internet and library resources in the two towns. They designed twenty squares. Artist Raisy Derzie painted the pieces of the quilt in rich, vibrant colors for which she is known. Her paintings have been exhibited in London, Manchester, New York, and Long Island venues.
The quilt will be displayed in the lobby of the Great Neck Library during the month of March and the Town Hall of North Hempstead in April.
WHEN: Sunday, Feb. 2 at 3 p.m.
WHERE: Equal Opportunity Center (E.O.C.) at 65 High Street in Manhasset
Submitted by the Town of North Hempstead
