During our summer 2014 fundraising campaign, we gathered and shared 30 stories in 30 days. Due to popular demand, here they are:
Day 1: Hear Ida Woody tell a story about her family’s 100-year-old business, Woody’s Home for Services, and the time Martin Luther King Jr. was at Union Baptist Church across the street! listen to this [murmur] story
Day 2: How do we practice urbanism at the University of Orange? For starters we bring everyone together to explore their neighborhoods, identify their treasures and share their struggles. And we eat cake. watch a video from our 2009 Placemaking Event
Day 3: A real ghost story! Hear about the haunted house on North Essex Ave. where Cynthia Bianchi grew up. listen to this [murmur] story
Day 4: Art shows have become an energizing part of life in Orange. Here, two young artists, Stephen and Anj, were filmed during the preparation of their joint show, Transverse Megabirth. watch the video
Day 5: Writing a memoir at 91. Serously.
Maggie Thompson wrote her memoir at 91. She lived on Olcott Street in Orange for many years. With her daughter Mindy Fullilove and her granddaughter Molly Kaufman, she was a founder of the University of Orange. Maggie received her FreeD, the highest honor, from the University of Orange for writing the memoir. watch Maggie’s incredible story
Day 6: In 2010, a devastating earthquake hit Haiti, with the epicenter near the capital of Port-au-Prince. More than 250,000 people died and many more were displaced. The Orange, NJ, area is home to the 11th largest concentration of Haitians in North America. “Hearts for Haiti” was a project of Luna Stage, working with local children of Haitian descent to make a play about the earthquake. watch the video
Day 7: Baseball legend Monte Irvin grew up in Orange. Irvin was a baseball star in the Negro leagues and the major league and is one of five players from NJ to be in the baseball hall of fame. He still works today to get recognition by the Baseball Hall of Fame for Negro League players. listen to this [murmur] story
Day 8: When the Freeway Came Through – When homes were demolished to make way for the construction of I-280, Tony Monica was there recording. He spoke with high school students in 2009 about the highway construction, his movies and what was lost. watch the video
Day 9: Too much killing – After the murder of star player Malcolm Bagley, the Orange High School Tornadoes faced the need to go on. watch the video
Day 10: A Story About a Hat from Hat City – What does it take for an Orange Middle School student to win the best dressed contest at an eighth grade dance at Bella Italia? listen to this [murmur] story
Day 11: The Lessons of Orange – As we watch the terrible unfolding of tragedy in many cities around the world, we remember the words of Orange organizer, Ernest Thompson. “Pure coalition is wide-open coalition on the basis of complete equality of Black and white, with the working class as the main base. This is the ultimate in coalition and must be the kind of coalition built in this country.” read more about Ernie Thompson
Day 12: 3R’s+1 C: Cooking Class – In Orange Public Schools Grammar Grades, in the 1960s, girls learned to cook and sew and boys learned carpentry. While the strict imposition of gender roles could be galling, some of the recipes have been beloved for decades. When apple season is here, try this recipe for apple crisp! get the original recipe here!
Day 13: Our Industrial Past – Orange was once the hat-making capital of the United States. Watch two students from the Scholars Academy visit the former No Name Hat Factory, started by the legendary Stetson brothers. watch the video
Day 14: Orange High School Vs Barringer High School – Barringer was winning the game in the fourth quarter with less then two minutes to go. Orange won the game with a clutch game winning touchdown pass on a 4th and long. watch the video
Day 15: A remarkable woman – Who was the oldest person to ever have a funeral at Woody’s Home for Services? Listen to Mr. Lee tell the story of a remarkable woman. listen to this [murmur] story
Day 16: Freeman Street Tattoo – Artist Steed Taylor came to the Valley to tattoo the road. Tattoo the road? you ask. Yup. Watch how it happened! You can still see it on Freeman Street. watch the video
Day 17: Fishing in Orange! UofO instructor and fundraiser John (Jamy) Lasell shares a story about his morning commute. read Jamy’s fish story
Day 18: City Poems – At our Placemaking event in 2012 we celebrated the city by writing haikus in sidewalk chalk all around the city, led by the ever amazing Caley Vickerman and the Guerilla Haiku Movement. watch the video
Day 19: Orange Gets Advice – World renowned French urbanist Michel Cantal Dupart visited Orange in 2009. Watch him tour the city, teach us about making just and beautiful cities and hear Pat Morrissy’s awesome French speech. watch the video
Day 20: Picture Day ~ Always a Student, Forever Fly ~Reflection from Rachel Bland read Rachel’s reflections and check out her pictures here
Day 21: Community Development in Orange – HANDS is a community development corporation that has helped citizens of Orange restore homes and neighborhoods with energy and dignity. watch the video
Day 22: Paint, Paint, Paint! This video by TMD Productions, with Patricia Rogers, tells the story of the time art students from Orange High took a field trip to ORNG Ink. At our post industrial city reimagination lab we know that spaces for youth to be creative leaders are essential. watch the video
Day 23: Behind the scenes! OHS Football team practicing for a championship game at Giants Stadium. watch the video
Day 24: Serrani’s Sanitary Bakery is a long-running Orange business full of new and traditional treats. Try the cookies or the rolls or the many kinds of bread! listen to this [murmur] story
Day 25: Orange Memorial Hospital – Like many places in the US, Orange lost its hometown hospital. The buildings still stand empty, waiting for the next thing. People’s memories are full of stories of working and getting care there. listen to this [murmur] story
Day 26: A BBQ Story about Paul Robeson – a great son of New Jersey. read more about the time Paul Robeson visited Orange, NJ & the concert poster
Day 27: The Virtual Rally – The University of Orange, Fall 2014 Storytelling event. Stay tuned for videos of the event. read more here
Day 28: Oakwood Avenue School Bridge Club – Grammar school card players, studying early in the morning, winning tournaments, improving all their skills. These kids are great! Molly & Aubrey visited these dedicated students early one morning to bring you this story. watch the video
Day 29: Old School Song – Oakwood Avenue School was built in the 1880s and has served as a grammar school for the surrounding community since then. It has been beloved by generations of students. Its leaders have struggled through segregation and disinvestment to create a loving and effective school environment. On May 31st, 2014, a group from Oakwood shared their school song! watch the video
Day 30: Young Scholars Write a Book! Over the past year, the University of Orange worked with students at the Orange Scholars Academy to write a book about the history of Orange. You can browse the book and learn the story of what they did and what they learned. You can see what changed their minds! check out a draft of the book here